2021 Last Ring Notifications

Loren "LD" Grumbly #5140, separated Seattle police patrol officer, passed away on December 23rd at 66 years of age.

Mike Scott #2557, retired Seattle Police Motorcycle Officer, passed away on December 19, 2021, at the age of 82.

Mike was born in Vallejo, California. He spent his early childhood years there. When his father, a career Navy man retired, his family moved to the Lake Forest Park neighborhood. Mike attended private schools until his sophomore year when he went hunting with his dad one school day. The school’s administrator did not think hunting was an adequate excuse to miss class. So, Mike was expelled. Then he enrolled in Roosevelt High. He loved to work on and ride motorcycles, especially British bikes after school. After graduation in 1958, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for three years. After basic, his MOS was working on aircraft structures and their hydraulics. He was post at Sand Point Naval Air Station for his entire tour. Upon discharge he went back to California. There he worked in a grocery store for three months before getting bored. He quit and entered in the U.S. Army for three years and six months. He was posted in Germany assigned to an artillery unit as a communication specialist then as the captain’s aide. When his tour was up, he returned to Seattle where he got a job in a gas station while he applied to the Seattle Police Department.

Mike was hired on the Department on March 6, 1966. After his three-day orientation he worked patrol for several months before attending Academy Class 51. One of his classmates was Fred Kilmer #2573. When they graduated in late 1966, both were assigned to the Central Precinct working East and West Relief. In 1969 he married Shirley. During his five years in the precinct, one of his sergeants in the early 1970’s was Jerry Taylor #2533. In 1971, right after Seafair, Mike transferred to Traffic Enforcement. Three years later he moved to solos. After a couple of years, he joined the Motorcycle Drill Team. One of his partners on bikes was Dick Gagnon #3145. During one overtime shift working traffic control during a Seahawks game at the King Dome, Mike and Dick were assigned to the North Lot to prevent traffic entering the lot thus forcing traffic to go west only. A young woman driver pulled up in an open convertible. She stood up in the car and yelled “I want to park in the lot.” Mike stopped her and Dick told her to turn westbound only. She refused and kept yelling “I need to go straight into the lot.” Both Mike and Dick explained “No. Westbound turns only.” This exchange continued for some time while she blocked the intersection and backed up traffic. Finally, frustrated she yelled “F@%K you guys!” Dick, without missing a beat, replied “I am busy now. Pull over and I will get right to you!” She drove off in a huff.

Dick and Mike were not just bike partners, they were neighbors who socialized and raised their children together. Mike was Dick’s daughter Lisa’s godfather. Her twin, Lori called him Uncle Mike because he was such a large part of their life. He and Dick would assemble the children’s toys together. It took a lot of beer and swearing to complete the projects. Dick went to the detectives. Mike stayed in traffic until 1989. Then he returned to patrol in the North Precinct where he partnered up with Fred Kilmer his old academy mate. Mike’s hearing deteriorated due to the noise on bikes and detonation of rounds in the military and his police career. It got so bad that he retired in 1992 after 26 years of service.

In retirement from 1992 to 2002, Mike and his wife Shirley rode around the states on their motorcycle. They often travelled with the motorcycle club “Red Rat Riders.” During the rainy weather they would go in their RV. The goal was to visit every national park. All during their early years and into retirement they decorated their front yard every year turning it into a haunted house for Halloween. Mike would start building in early September. In 2002, their special needs granddaughter McKinsey was born. Her mother with all her other children was unable to dedicate enough time to her so Mike and Shirley raised McKinsey until she died. While caring for her the met Melissa in 2010 who helped Mike and Shirley tend to McKinsey. After McKinsey died in 2018, followed by Shirley in 2019, Melissa took care of Mike until his passing. Mike was known throughout his life as being kind and generous. He would give you the shirt off his back.

Mike was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Shirley, his daughter Michelle, son Joey and granddaughter McKinsey. He is survived by his daughter Angela, four grandchildren and good friend and caretaker Melissa.

Bob Caruth #2244, Seattle Police Patrol Sergeant, passed away on December 12, 2021, at the age of 82.

Bob was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. The family moved to Seattle by the Aurora Bridge. He attended Lincoln High and then transferred to Queen Anne. He played baseball at each school he attended. He graduated in 1958 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Reserves. After his military training, he returned home to begin looking for a job. He landed one at Boeing in 1959 working in the inventory department. Now that he had a salary plus his military reserve income, he felt he could marry his fiancée, Jacqueline. They were married on May 1, 1959. Bob continued to work at Boeing until the City began advertising for police officers for the upcoming World Fair “Century 21”. Bob was tired of working at Boeing and liked the Police Department’s hiring promotions, so he applied. He was hired on March 13, 1962. He was immediately assigned to the Seattle Center to work patrolling the world fair site for the rest of the year.

He attended academy class #45 with Al Terry #2243, Jim Fisk #2249, Wendy DeBoer #2230, Dick Hume #2223, John Boren #2235, Howard Bans #2218 and Craig VandePutte #2246. After the academy he was assigned to Patrol in the Central Precinct working both East and West. He stayed working the Central Precinct, which is now the empty hole at 3rd and James, for the next 10 years. He joined the Marching Drill Team/Honor Guard rising to team lieutenant. He also played on the Department’s softball team. He was a member of the infamous hunting group made up of Carl Sandbeck #1841, Billy Sands #1240, John Dempsy #1197, and John Terskin #1871. In 1967, Bob partnered up with Ken Baggen #2523, a young officer that he met on the drill team. Bob taught Ken to be a better policeman and Jackie adopted him as her fifth overgrown child. They worked “The Hill” and later Bell Town for the next three years on 3rd watch and later the 5pm to 1am power shift. During the 1970 SeaFair week, Bob and Ken had a baseball game in the early afternoon then marched in the Torch Light Parade. Afterwards they had to work patrol for the rest of their shift. During which they handled three homicides. By the time they finished all the paperwork, their next shift was about to start so no rest. Towards the end of this shift, they were exhausted, so they took a nap but were caught by a concerned citizen checking on them. About 30 minutes later they were dispatched to the captain’s office to see Major Schulteis. They thought the citizen had reported them and Schulteis would be mad. Well, they prepared their excuses and humbly marched in prepared to take one of his famous chewing outs and more. All he said was “Baggen, you are assigned to the Tac Squad and Caruth, you are going to three wheelers. Now get back on the street.” Instead of discipline, they each got their dream assignments. Bob worked parking enforcement for 2 ½ years. Then he was assigned to the Seattle Center, where he first patrolled when hired, for the next seven years working night shifts for lieutenants Wally Long #1097, then Bob Deforest #1483 and later Pat Murphy #1653. On April Fool’s 1981, Bob was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the North Precinct for the next thirteen years. In 1992, when Baggen married Denise, Bob was best man and Carl Sandbeck was the witness and audience of one while Judge Mark Chow performed the wedding ceremony in his chambers. Afterwards, all smoked cigars and drank champagne. Bob retired on April 4, 1993, with 31 years of service.

During his first three years of retirement, he worked for Joe Sanford #1896 as a Seattle Municipal Court Marshall. Then he and Jackie moved to Orting onto a small five-acre farm. They built their dream house and lived there for 19 years. Then they moved to Puyallup for three years. Finally, they moved to Idaho to be closer to their four daughters and thirteen grandchildren. He continued to fish, bowl, woodwork, and restore furniture but his favorite activity was being with his wife and spending time with their daughters and their grandchildren. He was a great dad to his daughters and a great grandfather to his grandchildren.

Bob is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jackie, four daughters Pam, Christina, Gayle, and Jill, thirteen grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

Barry Newsom #2987, retired Seattle Police Patrol Officer, passed away on Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 73 years of age.  Barry was hired on October 23, 1968 and retired on March 10, 1981.

Born May 14,1948, in Bremerton, WA, Barry and his parents, Alfredo Z. Newsom and Mary (Golden) Newsom traveled to Kodiak, Alaska then Camp LeJeune, North Carolina and finally settled in Seattle, WA when his father retired from the Navy.

A1966 graduate of Nathan Hale High School, Barry went on to serve four years in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He then joined the Seattle Police Department as a cadet and became one of SPD's first canine officers. During his career, Barry completed a law enforcement degree at North Seattle Community College and appeared in the John Wayne movie McQ.

After his police career, Barry became an insurance and investment adviser with Prudential Insurance. It was there that he met his future wife, Valerie. Barry then went back to school at South Seattle Community College for welding certification and to work for Ederer Inc., a crane manufacturer. He also started his own business, Securex Legal Video, and then completed the last 18 years of his working career as a tribal gaming agent for the Swinomish Casino.

A member of Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts and Washington Vintage Motorcyclists, Barry enjoyed his Ural and BMW motorcycles and sidecar combo, attending and assisting in many WVM club events throughout the years.

Barry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David and sister Cheryl (Wopperer). He is survived by his wife Valerie, his sons Barry Gordon and David, his brother Wayne, his sister Dorothy Jo (Kroll), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Keith McGehe #2893, retired Seattle Police Chief Communications Dispatcher, passed away Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at 77 years of age.  Keith was hired on April 16, 1968 and retired on July 20, 1995.

Keith was born in Dubuque, Iowa. He lived there until he was twelve. Then his family moved to Champaign, Illinois. He attended Champaign Central High participating in it’s Future Builders’ program. This high school class taught construction. The school would buy an empty lot and the students had 2 years to build a complete turnkey house and sell it for a profit. The proceeds went into the next project. Most of the labor was done after school and on the weekends. Keith graduated from the program and high school in 1962. He immediately enlisted in the Navy for three years. He served on the USS Sierra rising to the rank of boatswain mate. He was discharged in 1965. He arrived in Seattle after securing a job at Boeing. Two weeks into his new occupation he was laid off due to a strike. Within a week he started working at the Continental Can Company as a machinist. There he met Don Blair #6000R the senior Seattle Police Reserve Officer that helped lead Seattle’s Reserve Unit. Keith became a Police Reserve in 1966. He loved the work, so he applied to be a regular.

He was hired on April 16, 1968 and assigned to Academy Class 56. One of his classmates was John Nordlund #2909. Keith’s first assignment was Traffic Enforcement. His goal was to ride solos but his next assignment got in the way when, in January of 1973, he was recruited by sergeant Harold Anderson #1515 to come to the Seattle Center Detail and run the Police Reserve Unit. Keith did this for the next four years. During this time in his off-duty hours, he built his own log cabin home on a vacant lot he cleared in the greater Fall City area. He used all the training he got in his two-year high school building course. He also moonlighted at the Seattle Center’s rock shows and at all the Kingdome events where he was the log clerk and incident dispatcher for incidents inside the Dome. In 1974, he was also assigned to the Police Explorer Program. He became a member of the Police Combat Shooting Team. In late 1977, he returned to patrol at the West Central Precinct for Mark Baily #2182. Over the next five years he was involved in two traffic accidents where he was rammed by drivers ignoring his emergency equipment and disobeying traffic signals and a serious physical confrontation with a combative suspect. These three incidents resulted in back, neck and hand injuries to Keith. So he applied to Communications to become a dispatcher. His experience at the Kingdome helped him get the assignment. He was a good dispatcher. In 1991, he was promoted to Police Officer Chief Dispatcher. When this position was civilianized in 1995, he retired with 27 years and 7 months of service.

Due to his organization skills and coordinating experience with the reservers and explorers, he got a position with a company organizing teachers workshop training throughout the country. When he got tired of doing this, he became a full-time transit driver for the Mount Si Community Shuttle. Later in life he did so much volunteer repair work at his house of worship that the Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church offered him a full-time job as Facility and Maintenance Director. His nickname there was “MacGyver” because he could repair anything with minimal materials and tools.

Keith is survived by his wife of 27 years, Julie, two daughters Mindy and Kim, four sons Josh, Jakob, Justin and Lindy and three grandchildren.

Michael R. Germann #2714, Retired Seattle Police Captain, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at 79 years of age.

Mike was hired on June 20, 1967, and retired on December 12, 1992, after 25 years of service. Mike’s last SPD assignment was as the Commander and the Metropolitan Section where he oversaw the Canine, Mounted, Harbor and ERT/HNT (SWAT) units. When Mike retired from SPD, he was immediately appointed as the Executive Secretary to the Seattle Police Pension Office by Council President George Benson to replace retiring Executive Secretary Dave Grayson #1814. During Mike’s 18 years in the Pension Office, without any fanfare or recognition, Mike made many positive impacts for our members as well as making some far-reaching changes that not only benefited one, but for all of our pensioners. Mike officially retired entirely in January 2010.

Mike was born in Seattle. His family moved to Kirkland. There he attended Lake Washington High graduating in 1960.  He worked for a year and six months at various jobs. Then in early 1962, he enlisted in the Marines for four years. He served in Vietnam. When his tour was up, he returned to Seattle. About this time the home front was heating up with student unrest and the summer riots. Mike felt obligated to help the citizens of Seattle, so he applied to the Seattle Police Department.

Mike was hired on June 20, 1967, working patrol for three months before attending Academy Class 53. He worked prowl cars in East Central with several of his future academy mates before they all were trained. They were: Larry Farrar #2360, Erling Buttedahl #2704 and Joe Nicholas #2683 (they continued to work together after the academy). During class breaks Joe introduced Mike to a civilian employee – Maryann who worked in Crime Analysis. They got married right after his academy graduation. He spent two years in patrol then transferred to Juvenile for a few days before being loaned to Robbery for six months. In mid-1970, he landed his permanent assignment Vice. This was about the same time his daughter Julie was born (August 4, 1970). The next year, one of his old patrol partners Buttedahl was involved in a shooting that generated publicity and later a high-profile assault arrest. The Department was going through a rough public relations period with the riots and the grand juries so it was contemplating involuntarily separating Erling. Both Joe Nicholas and Mike went to bat for Erling with Chief Tielsch. Their input convinced the Chief of Police that the dismissal action was inappropriate, so he stopped it. Mike had a sense of justice and a heart for fair play.

After a year and six months in Vice, he transferred to sex crime for eight months. Then he was assigned to training for a year as a Basic Instructor. On September 14, 1976, he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to Georgetown 3rd watch. This posting lasted two years. Then he was transferred to Narcotics for another two years. During these years Mike went to college earning an A.A. Degree in Police Science, a B.A. in Public Administration and a Master’s degree.

Chief Fitzsimmons in early 1980, noticed that Mike passed the lieutenant’s exam. The Chief thought with Mike’s strong investigative background he would be a good candidate to work IIS before being promoted. He was in IIS one year before being promoted on April Fool’s Day 1981 and assigned as the Illness Lieutenant in Personnel for the next year. On April 7, 1982, he was assigned to 2nd watch North then 3rd watch for almost eighteen months. Here his reputation of supporting his people grew. One day the precinct Crime Prevention Specialist got an unexpected phone call from her doctor informing her that the x-ray discovered what appear to be a suspicious tumor. This caused her to tear up. When Mike saw her distress and was informed why she was distraught, he insisted she go to the doctor’s office immediately. He drove her there and waited in the parking lot until the appointment was over. Then he took her to Baskin & Robins for an ice cream cone saying he always did this for his daughter.

On October 26, 1983, he became the Bomb Squad lieutenant. He was one of the last lieutenants trained to go down range to disarm a suspect device. He was also elected president of the Seattle Police Management Association at this time.

On December 5, 1986, Mike made Captain and was assigned to Training for almost two and a half years. Then he was assigned to the Metropolitan section until he retired on December 11, 1992. While in Metro he was instrumental in establishing the Department’s Chaplain Association which he felt the Department’s personnel needed on a 24/7 basis. While organizing the Chaplain Association structure, one of his subordinates was having a difficult financial time. Mike immediately gave the subordinate a $1,500 bridge loan with the stipulation to make payments as able – no rush and no interest.

The reason Mike retired was that the Chair of the Pension Board – George Benson appointed Mike to succeed Dave Grayson #1814 as the Executive Secretary of the Pension Office. Mike held this position for eighteen years overseeing many changes that improved the members’ benefits. He retired from the Pension Office in 2010.

Mike had many interests: making wine, making homemade pesto from his own home-grown basil, picking mushrooms, skiing, fishing, gardening, snorkeling, camping and model railroading. The attributes that marked his life was his sense of honor and compassion – his word was his bond. He volunteered at the Kenmore food bank for years helping the needy.

Mike is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maryann, daughter Julie, two granddaughters Maddison Ann and Cassidy Ann and grandson Mike Roland.

Steve O’Leary #4333, retired Seattle Police Homicide Detective, passed away on November 2, 2021, at the age of 68.

Steve was born in Libby, Montana. When he was only one year old his family moved to New York for five years. They then moved to Spokane, Washington where he attended St. Augustine Catholic Elementary through the 8th grade. Then the family moved to Bellevue. He attended Sammamish High where he played baseball. When he graduated in 1971, he and a buddy traveled throughout Europe for a year staying in hostels. When he returned to Seattle, he worked various jobs. He finally got a full-time job at the Olympic Hotel as a bellman. There he met many police officers that recruited him to join the SPD. He joined the department in 1979.

He attended academy class #119. One of his classmates was Paul Gracy #4325. After graduation Steve was assigned to 2nd Watch West Precinct Relief. Veteran Detective Patrolman Jim Fisk #2249 took Steve under his wing. They worked cars and walked the Pike Street beat. One shift while walking Pike, they got a “man with a gun” call. As they approached the scene Steve was busy looking at an attractive woman across the street and walked into the suspect whose gun was pointed right in Steve’s face. Jim disarmed the suspect who was as startled as Steve. All Steve said was “thank God the gun was not pointed at my crotch. Jim encouraged Steve to be a detective. He listened and went to burglary and theft. Then he transferred to sex crimes where he worked with Patty Hayes #4751 and Robin Clark #4507. Next Steve got his dream assignment in Homicide working for Don Cameron #2058. Steve was teamed up with Jay Mooney #4383. They worked the Pang Fire in which four firefighters were killed. Steve went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to arrest suspect Martin Pang. He also worked the murder of Mayme Jeanne Lui with Cloyd Steiger #4313. One of his cases was the topic of the Discovery TV network “Ice Cold Killers” in which James Cushing was arrested, sentenced, and incarcerated. His final assignment was Special Deployment working for Joe Kessler #4601. Steve was the units’ cook during large events. One event Steve served smoked salmon. The only problem was he smoked the fish with hickory chips overnight below Communications’ fresh air vent. All the dispatchers got sick from the smoke and fumes. He had to feed the entire Communications’ staff to make amends. His meals were so good and well known that Mayor Nichols and his driver Joe Bouffiou #3047 would always stop by to eat during UO’s.

Steve retired on July 10, 2006, to enjoy his hobbies: golfing, fly fishing, bird hunting and bow hunting. When he became bored with just playing every day, he hired on at the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe in the North Cascades as its Chief of Police. He claimed he was the only one on the reservation that could shoot a bow accurately. After several years of this, he returned to Seattle to flag for Ken #2963 and Kathy #4149 Jakobsen. Steve frequently wore his golfing shorts while directing traffic.

Steve is survived by his sister Tara Rispoli, nephew Daniel and nieces Ali, Jackie, Jerrie, and Marla.

Tom Helms #3561, retired Seattle police detective, passed away on October 25th at 74 years of age.  Tom was hired on April 19, 1971 and retired for disability on January 1, 1997.

Tom was born in Moline, Illinois. His family moved to West Seattle when he was two years old. Tom attended Chief Sealth High graduating in 1967. His first job right out of high school was as a warehouseman for several months until the draft caught up to him. He entered the army in 1968 serving one year in Vietnam. He was discharged in 1970. He returned to his old employer at the warehouse for a little over a year while attending night school to earn an A.A. degree. He did not want to spend his life in a warehouse, so he applied to the department.

The Police Department hired him on April 4, 1971. After completing Academy Class 69, he was assigned to the Georgetown Precinct. There he worked patrol for six years. During this time he attended the University of Puget Sound earning his bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree in Public Administration. Then he moved to the Tac squad for three years. One shift during a training exercise, he fractured his forearm’s radial bone just below the elbow. This injury haunted Tom the rest of his career.

On January 1, 1981, he transferred to Juvenile for three years. Then he moved to Narcotics for almost three years. Next, he was offered a position in Intelligence. This assignment lasted for almost another three years. “Intel” was interesting but a little slower than Narcotics. So Tom applied for a DEA/Seattle PD task force position. He got it and worked as an undercover agent for over two years. He never told his wife Julie what his job was on the task force. She thought he was a Grizzly Adams fan with his beard and long hair. In 1992, he decided he needed an eight to four regular shift assignment. So he transferred to CID in Auto Theft working for Gordy Vanrooy #3065. Tom worked Auto Theft for four years. He retired on January 1, 1997, after 25 years and 9 months of service.

In retirement he went to work for State Farm Insurance as an investigator of casualty claims. His territory was the entire state of Washington. He worked at this until 2010. Then Tom and his wife Julie did some traveling across the US, Hawaii and Europe. Tom also enjoyed hunting, gardening and refinishing furniture. Tom was a family man. He loved taking care of all of them.

Tom is survived by Julie, his wife of 35 years, two adult daughters Kim and Chrystal, two adult sons Eric and Thomas and six granddaughters.

Dick Johnson #2519, Retired Seattle Police Officer, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 74 years of age. Dick was hired on December 10, 1968 and retired on disability on January 6, 1977.

Dick was born and raised in the Greenwood neighborhood.  He always wanted to be a police officer just like his father Leonard #330, who was a Captain on the SPD.  Dick attended St. John's Catholic elementary school with classmates Dan Stokke #3240 and Tom Grabicki #3516.  They attended Blanchet High School together.  While turning out for football, Dick injured his neck.  So, he became the team manager.  He graduated in 1965, six months later he became a police cadet.

Dick was a cadet from November 1965 through December 1968.  He joined the Army Reserves in December 1965 and served until 1972.  On August 19,1967 Dick married his wife Arlene who worked in the Records Bureau.  Dick was sworn in as a police officer on December 10,1968 and was assigned to the Georgetown Precinct.  He was known to be a pro-active officer.  Denis Law liked to follow him around taking photos for the neighborhood newspaper.  Three months later Dick attended academy class #58 under the command of Roy Skagen #2204.  While still in the academy, Dick signed up for the Marching Drill Team.  

After graduation he was sent to work at the Wallingford Precinct.  There he partnered up with John Kristof #3122 working car 3-Boy-7.  Their district included Fremont known for ex-cons, drug pushers, radicals, and gangs.  The so-called mayor of Fremont, a guy named Armen was very anti-establishment.  Everyone who was arrested was considered to be a political prisoner and the cops were the oppressors.  One night a bloody and bruised Armen found it necessary to call the police.  Dick and John answered the call.  He was the victim of two ex-con roofers who wanted a little more money for the roof job.  The cons had actually pointed a gun at Armen's head and pulled the trigger only to have the gun miss fire.  Armen had an immediate epiphany and switched political philosophies.

In 1973 Dick went to Hawaii with the Marching Drill Team.  Afterwards, he noticed he was having trouble walking but just ignored his symptoms.  He went back to work and turned out to quarry for the canine unit.  In 1975 Dick was next up for assignment to the K-9 Unit when he was diagnosed with a disability that would prevent him from working the streets.  He worked several staff assignments but all he wanted was to be a street cop.  The department reluctantly determined his condition would only worsen.  In 1977 Dick was retired after nine years on the department.

Dick did not quit life.  He enrolled at the University of Washington earning a teaching degree.  He worked as a substitute teacher at the Northshore, Lake Washington, and Shoreline school districts before becoming a permanent teacher at O'Dea High School.  At O'Dea Dick was the assistant football coach.  He coached Dan Melton #2711 son Don.  His disability continued to worsen so after five years of teaching he left O'Dea and got a desk job at KLM Accident Investigations.

By the early 90's, his condition confined him to home.  Dick was very attentive to his children's activities.  He loved to follow sports, especially watching his grandson Brandon wrestle in high school.  Brandon became the heavyweight State wrestling champion.

Dick is survived by his wife of fifty-four years, Arlene, daughter Brandy and sons Cameron and Lance, eight grandkids and five great grandkids.

Richard “Dick” Carr #3323, Retired Seattle Police Patrol Officer who after retirement became a Civilian Quartermaster at the South Precinct, passed away on October 8, 2021 at 80 years of age.  Dick was hired on January 6, 1970 and retired after 31 years of service on May 8, 2001.

Dick was born in Seattle and raised in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. He attended Seattle Prep. He played football there. In his sophomore year he met his lifelong sweetheart Mary at one of his mother’s beauty salons in Burien. After graduating in 1961, Dick enrolled in the U of W. In his junior year, Uncle Sam caught up with him. He was drafted in 1964 and posted in Georgia his entire tour. Mary and Dick got married in July of 1964. When his tour was up in 1965, they returned to Seattle with baby Alan. Dick landed a job with Boeing for a year before a long union strike caused him to look for another line of work. He became a new car salesman at a Chrysler dealership. He eventually worked his way up to sales manager. After three years, he decided to change occupations and applied to the Seattle police department.

Dick joined the police department on July 6, 1970. He spent his entire 31-year career in south end patrol. He was a member of the Department’s early attempts to form a SWAT unit made up of volunteers from Georgetown third watch. He was a Field Training Officer for many years. During this time, Dick attended UPS on LEEP and VA funding to finish his B.A. in political science and earned a master’s degree in public administration. He was also very active in SPOG politics and held the position of secretary/treasurer. During his free hours to relax he played soccer on the department’s team. As his family grew, he started to moonlight more. His steady off duty job was working for the King County Housing Authority in West Seattle. His occasional jobs were working sporting events at the Kingdome and rock shows at the Seattle Center. In the 1980’s, Dick and another man co-coached an all-girls soccer team for eight years. In 1989, he was approached by a group of Croatian immigrants to form a semi-pro soccer team. The players were not paid but got to tour Canada and the USA (including Hawaii) to play other semi-pro teams. Dick did this for ten years.

Dick retired as an officer in 2001. But he did not quit working. He became the South Precinct’s Station Master for a short time. Then moved to the new Southwest Precinct to organize the station’s facilities. Finally he moved to the West Precinct as the Station Master. Dick was not only a Station Master, but he organized the feeding logistics for a large U.O. He provided better food than the outsourced caterers – no more boxed lunches, now it was all hot meals. He was a Station Master for seven years before fully retiring.

During his non-working years starting in 2008, Dick and Mary motor coached all across Canada and the U.S. Dick was also secretary/treasurer of the Eagles Aerie #1.

Son Steve preceded Dick in death. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary, sons Alan and Jeff, daughter in law Jonny (surviving spouse of Steve), three grandsons and four granddaughters. Dick was the uncle of retired Seattle Police Detective Pilar (Portugal) Curtis #4733 and former Police Explorer Mark Portugal.

John (Sko) Skommesa #5640, Retired Seattle Police Officer passed on October 5th, 2021, after battling a short illness. John served SPD for 29 years before retiring in 2020 to enjoy year-round motorcycle weather in Texas. In those 29 years, John was a dedicated Officer working assignments in West Precinct Patrol, East Precinct Patrol, Community Policing, and was most notably a popular and well-respected Officer working within the communities of the Seattle Housing Authority. More importantly, John was a gentle giant, wonderful friend and family man, conversationalist, dog lover, and die-hard Seahawks fan. John is survived by his loving wife and children and will be incredibly missed by all who knew and loved him as a part of the SPD Family. Service information will be forthcoming, and in the meantime, John would expect us to be rooting for the Seahawks. “GO HAWKS!

Jim Muir #3567, retired Seattle police diver, passed away Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the age of 74.

He was born in Seattle at the old Madison Street Hospital that no longer exists. His father Harry was a City Transit Operator. Jim grew up in the Woodlawn North neighborhood not far from the Harbor station. He attended Lincoln High. After graduating in 1966, he joined the Air Force serving in Thailand and Vietnam as an aircraft mechanic. After his three-year enlistment he returned to Seattle and worked various jobs for the next two years. In 1971 he applied to the Seattle Police Department.

On April 21, 1971, Jim was hired as a Patrolman. His first posting was Georgetown working with Kerry Guynn #3019. Several months later he attended Academy Class 69.  After his year of probation was up, Jim married Colleen. Jim was assigned to Wallingford. He stayed in the North Precinct until 1990. While there he worked Boy sector for Jerry Taylor #2533. Jims squad mates were Jerry Beam #2542, Dan Beste #3295 and Mike Christ #3389. Golden Gardens had long been a gathering place for drag racing and several serious accidents and a fatality served to highlight the problem which just would not go away. Jim and his partner Roger Myers #2804 were assigned to stop the street racing at Golden Gardens. It took them five months to end the racing by checking each street rod’s equipment, i.e. mufflers, vehicle’s street clearance, windshield visibility, etc. If the equipment did not pass the car was impounded for safety reasons. Racing at Golden Gardens went away and did not come back.

Jim and Colleen bought a house on Magnolia where they lived for several years. Later theybought a lot on Magnolia and built new home. He could build or repair anything. In 1975 he joined the “Blue Knights” and over the next fifteen years he rode throughout the country coast to coast. In 1990, Jim transferred to the DWI squad to work for J.J. Hill #2143. Two years later Jerry Taylor recruited Jim to Harbor to back fill for the retiring boat maintenance officer – Nick Bulpin #2185. So Jim worked maintenance, drove boats and was a diver for the next fifteen years. He was a very calm and cool boat operator and he did not get excited in stormy conditions. During one windstorm on Lake Washington, he and his partner Phil Allen #3244 had to rescue a sailboarder who was trapped up against the I-90 bridge. He was hanging on for dear life. It was tricky maneuvering but Jim got the boat next to the sailboarder without crushing him and also avoided slamming the boat against the bridge supports so Phil could drag the victim onboard. As they began to leave, the sailboarder begged them to retrieve his sailboard which was 100 yards away bouncing in the chop. Without getting upset with this stupid windsurfer, Jim again fought the wind chop and the bridge to retrieve the board.

Jim finished building his home on Magnolia, rebuilt Beemer’s dad’s classic Ford Bronco and also restored his own 1968 Camaro. He was an avid saltwater fisherman always working on his fishing boats.

He retired in 2007 after thirty-six years of service. But he was not going into retirement. He now went to work as a civilian at Harbor maintaining the equipment for another eight years.

When he finally quit working, he and Colleen stayed home. Jim became the neighborhood handyman.

William “Bill” Hebert #2364, retired Seattle Police Sergeant, passed away on September 20, 2021 at 77 years of age. Bill was hired on September 16, 1963 and retired on September 22, 2004. .

Bill was born in Spokane; however, he was raised in Pasco.  He attended Pasco High.  There he was a member of the school band playing drums.  He also competed on the school's tennis team.  One of his classmates was Mike Burke #3140.  Shortly after graduation in 1962, Bill enlisted in the Army reserves.  He played in the division band and later was assigned to a military police unit for eight years.

Bill joined the department on September 16, 1963, as a cadet.  Three years later he became a police officer attending academy class #51.  Ever since high school, Bill dreamed of becoming a police officer.  After graduating from the academy, Bill's first assignment was to the East Precinct where he spent four years working second and third watch.  These shifts were ideal for Bill to start his family life.  

In 1968 he married Carolyn.  As children arrived, Bill decided he needed a regular business hour assignment with a small pay raise of $25.00 per month.  So, he transferred to Investigations working property crimes.  Bill spent fifteen years in C.I.D. often assigned to various task forces.  In 1985, he requested to go back to patrol.  There he was a wealth of knowledge working with informants he had developed during his time in investigations.  Over the next ten years Bill was known to be a squad leader.  In January 1995 Bill returned to the detectives for a couple years then back to patrol for seven years.  

On June 23, 1999 Bill was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the East Precinct.  He was a great teacher and mentor to his squad members.  When on patrol, Bill's uniform faithfully consisted of wearing the 8-point hat, Wellington boots, a six-inch service revolver and his pipe.  When off duty, his civilian attire was always cowboy boots, an old western hat, the six-inch revolver that he carried in his bowling bag and his pipe.  

After serving the department for forty-one years Bill retired.  All during his time he was known to be a cop 24/7.  He had police resource books, the S.M.C. and R.C.W at home always researching how to solve a unique crime or a community problem.  He even had a scanner going so he could keep track of what was happening in his district during his off-duty hours.  

Bill lived and breathed police work.

What a lot of us did not know was Bill loved the outdoors.  He enjoyed hiking, camping, geocaching, rock hunting and fishing for cod and salmon.  He so enjoyed all these activities that he moved his young family out of Seattle to Preston onto a five-acre plot with a log home.  His four kids enjoyed living in the rural setting.

All his hobbies continued in retirement, and he added one more - helping his neighbors.  Bill was a true grass roots community activist, not a political or paid one that was looking for a headline.

Bill his survived by his four children Heather, Jim, LaDonna, and Julianne along with thirteen grandchildren and his neighbor/fishing buddy Mark who always caught more fish than "Wild Bill".

Mike Bolger #2966, retired Seattle police officer, passed away on Wednesday, September 15th at 85 years of age.  Mike was hired on November 12, 1968 and retired for disability on May 8, 1977. 

Mike was born in 1935.  He was raised in Sydney, Australia during and right after World War II.  He attended Scotts College, our high school equivalent.  There he played rugby and Australian rules football.  After graduation he went to England to attend university earning a degree in mechanical engineering.  Mike then returned to Australia to work on his electrical engineering degree.  About this time, his mother married an American banker and moved to Seattle.  When he was twenty-eight years old Mike traveled to Seattle to visit his mother and stepfather.  He liked it here so much that he got a job at Boeings.  In 1964 Mike joined the Seattle Police Reserves under the leadership of John Hoberg #1302.  Like so many of our officers who worked at Boeings, Mike was bored and tired of the layoffs.  In November 1968 Mike was hired on the department.  He attended academy class #58.

Mike's first assignment was Traffic.  After seven months he transferred to Patrol, assigned to the Wallingford Precinct.  On August 11, 1969, Mike was working riot duties on the "Ave" in the University District.  While helping Larry Stewart #2420 in the arrest of three rioters the crowd turned on them.  In the ensuing battle Mike suffered a fractured jaw and three badly broken teeth and a shoulder injury.   But they successfully booked the suspects.  Mike did not take any sick leave.  His teeth were replaced with a bridge and his jaw healed with minor surgery.  

Mike partnered up with Eric Norberg #2605 working for Charlie Lindblom #1890.  They were assigned an Umbrella car.  Mike and Eric were pro-active officers.  In February 1970 they stopped a stolen Mustang.  As the driver exited the vehicle, he fired a round at Eric.  Both Mike and Eric returned fire.  They managed to "kill" the car and after a pursuit both suspects were arrested, charged and convicted of first-degree assault.  During the incident, Mike reinjured his shoulder.  

Mike was known to call all suspects "Sir", even the ones who tried to kill him.  When asked about that he explained in Australia, Sir is spelled two ways: S-I-R and C-U-R.  In 1971 Mike partnered up with John Harmon #3042 working the Ballard car.  While arresting a car prowler, Mike injured his eye.  The eye injury sent Mike to the Patrol Administrative Unit where he worked for the next eighteen months.  He spent some of his time working as the Stable Master for the new mounted unit.  In late 1972 Mike was transferred back to the Wallingford Precinct.  In February 1973 while riding to work on his motorcycle a car ploughed into him.  Mike's right leg was severely injured along with back and shoulder injuries.  Due to all his injuries, in 1977 Mike was forced to retire after serving the city for almost nine years.

Mike then started working for the city's building department as an Inspector.  After inspecting buildings for five years, Mike landed a position as a flight engineer on the University of Washington's weather research plane.  While working at the "U", Mike earned a degree in Political Science.  Four years later Mike entered the private sector working as an Electrical Foreman for various electrical contractors.

In 1992, Mike and his wife Julia decided to sail to Australia via California on their 57-foot ketch.  When finally arriving in Australia they ran afoul of the import duty laws.  After a four-year legal battle, during which time Mike attended law school, the dispute was resolved by forfeiture of their boat, fines, and leaving Australia.

In 1996 Mike and Julia settled in Placitas, New Mexico.  Mike built their home and found employment at the Bernalitto Correctional Facility along with volunteering for the Placitas Fire Department.  In 2003 Julia finally convinced Mike to retire.  He then started re-modeling their home.  He had a need to keep active right up to the end.
 
Mike is survived by his wife Julia and his daughter Patricia Ann.

Ron Rispoli #3649, Retired Seattle Police Detective, passed away Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at the age of 76.  There will be a service planned for a future date.

John Hoberg #1302, retired Seattle police officer, passed away on Monday, August 16th at the age of 96.  John was hired on the department on January 2, 1952 and retired after twenty-eight years of service on October 8, 1980. 

ohn was born in Seattle in the Ballard neighborhood. Both his parents were immigrants from Scandinavia who came here to escape the carnage of World War One. When World War Two broke out, John’s father was concerned that Ballard could be bombed so he moved the family onto a 2,000-acre farm in Carnation. John attended Tolt High where he played football. Upon graduation at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1943. He fought in the South Pacific Theater earning three Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, the Navy Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal.

After discharge he enrolled in the U of W and played on the football team. During his spare time, he hung around Golden Gardens racing his old souped-up car. He got several tickets for racing which caused him to decide if you can’t beat them, join them. Thus, on January 2, 1952, he became a Provisional Patrolman. Three months later he became a regular making $290 per month. He attended Academy Class #26 during the spring of 1952. After two years in patrol, he was assigned to the detectives. While in investigations, Ray Carroll #1230 and John joined the Army Reserves.

On June 4, 1956, he married Bette. In 1957, John transferred to “H & R”. With his distinguished war service, John was quickly going up the ranks in the Reserves which required frequent military leaves that interrupted the Department’s investigative personnel scheduling, not to mention his life as a newlywed. So, in 1959, he was assigned as one of the mayor’s drivers. This assignment lasted until 1967 when he returned to Patrol for five years. In 1972, while on a call, he fractured his right ankle. This resulted in Chief Bob Hanson #899, transferring John to a new position the Department initiated – Officer Friendly. His job was to make presentations at elementary, junior high and high schools. He was a frequent guest on the J.P. Patches television program.

In 1974, he broke his other ankle while visiting a school. This started degenerative arthritis in both ankles and his old war wounds did not help. But John continued to work and command the Army Reserve CID Unit at Fort Lawton. In fact, he was the first Reserve Major to attend the Army’s Command and General War College. He made full Colonel and appeared that he was on the path to make General. Many of the Department’s officers and commanders served under John. But unfortunately, tragedy struck on September 23, 1979. His 17-year-old son John Joseph was a passenger in a car when a drunk driver failed to make a turn that resulted in John Joseph’s death. This caused Bette to suffer deep depression. John rose to the occasion. His first duty was to his wife, so he retired from both the Department and the Army to take care of her. He had been with the Department almost 29 years and with the Army for almost 25 years.
 
From 1980 to August 20, 2005, Bette and John traveled together and spent their winter months in Palm Springs. There they met Frank Sinatra. John became the relief bodyguard in Frank’s security so the regular crew could vacation while John and Bette were wintering in Palm Springs.

After Bette passed away in 2005, John sold the family home off of 123rd and Greenwood Avenue to move to Texas six months every year to be with his daughter Carol. He spent the other six months in Woodway just north of Richmond Beach. He was the rock of his family during his 41 years of retirement.

John was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Bette, and his son John Joseph. He is survived by his daughter Carol, two granddaughters Shannon and Andrea and three great granddaughters Kayia, Kaitlyn and Kinsley.

Emett Kelsie #2794, retired Seattle police lieutenant, passed away on Saturday, August 7th at the age of 76.  Emett joined the department on October 30, 1967 and retired after thirty-two years of service on January 19, 2000. 

Emett Henry Kelsie #2794, retired Seattle police homicide lieutenant, passed away on August 7th at the age of 76.  

Emett was born in Aiken, South Carolina.  When he was five years old his mother Mary and father, John Henry, moved to Seattle.  They bought a home in the Central District.  In 1962 Emett graduated from Garfield High School.  He played on the school's basketball team.  After graduating, Emett spent four years in the Air Force.  His MOS was Cryptography.  His listening posts included Okinawa, Japan, and finally Taiwan.  His last assignment before discharge in 1966 was Kelly Air Force Base in Texas.  

Emett returned to Seattle and got a job at Boeings as a riveter.  Emett's father John Henry was working at the City Engineering Department.  He convinced Emett to join the city workforce to enjoy good benefits and no strikes.  The benefits may be good but the pick and shovel work did not suit Emett so he applied to SPD.  Emett was hired on the department on October 30, 1967.  He attended academy class #55 graduating in June 1968.  For the next three years Emett worked Patrol in the Central Area and Rainier Valley.  He then transferred to Personnel as a background detective.  After six months in Personnel, Emett returned to the Georgetown Precinct.  

Working a shift with Les Yeager #2436 they were sent to a Dead Body call.  An elderly man had passed away while sitting upright on the sofa.  A neighbor lady escorted the officers inside the house.  Emett placed his portable radio next to the victim.  The dispatcher started broadcasting calls, the neighbor lady started shouting "He's alive, he's alive" and ran from the house.  

In 1974 Emett was transferred to the Tac Squad.  He spent two years in the Squad before making detective then onto Checks and Forgery.  Two years later Emett was promoted to sergeant, back to Patrol for three years then in 1981 to Burglary & Theft.  All the time Emett had spent working in the Central Area and Rainier Valley he built a reputation as being a no-nonsense cop.  

In 1983 Emett returned to Georgetown Precinct where he befriended a new officer named Cloyd Steiger #4313.  Cloyd proved himself to be a good officer and Emett became his mentor.  In 1984 Emett married Evelyn and later that year was promoted to lieutenant.  He spent four years at the Georgetown Precinct as the 3rd watch commander.  He was then transferred to the relatively new Gang Squad.  Emett changed the focus of the squad from pro-active patrolling to building solid prosecutable cases against the gang bangers.  

In January 1997 Emett became the homicide/assault unit commander.  Cloyd Steiger was one of his detectives.  

After thirty-three years of service, Emett retired in 2000.  He is survived by his mother Mary who is now 96, his wife of thirty-seven years Evelyn, daughters Leslie, Donna and Gael, son George, brothers Ronald and Harold, sisters, Gloria who was a PEO supervisor, Joyce and Sandra along with fifteen great grandchildren and cousin Toni Harrell #4060.

Memories of Emett by Cloyd Steiger

In early 1980, Steve Sparby and I walked in the front door of the Georgetown Precinct of the Seattle Police Department.  We were in the police academy together and were given our permanent assignments after graduation and field training—Georgetown, 3rd Watch, (8 PM to 4 AM) working Robert Sector—Rainier Valley.

The Valley was a hotspot in the city, with high crime rates, including many violent crimes.  The twenty-one-year old cop in me was thrilled.  I wanted to go where the action is.  Steve was seven or so years older, but he was also happy with the assignment.

As we walked into the front door, the front desk officer leered at us from his perch.
“Can I help you?” he asked, the scowl on his face a permanent fixture. We flashed out new shiny badges.

“We start here tonight.”

He waved us through.  We made our way to the stairs in the decrepit old precinct, the inside décor was early Barney Miller, to the locker room. After changing into our spotless and well-pressed uniforms, (they were actually three months old since we’d worn them in our Field Training assignments, but we kept them immaculate as was drummed into us in the police academy--that wouldn’t last), we went to the roll-call room.  No one else was in the room when we sat down, ten minutes before it was scheduled to begin.

About a minute before the appointed time, the room filled with other officers, all of them a lot older and more experienced.

A moment later, a uniformed sergeant walked into the room and stood behind the podium.  He was a big, burly black man, reminding me of the quintessential supervisor on TV cop shows and movies. His name was Emett Kelsie.

He called out names, and when people answered, gave car assignments.
 
“James,” he said.  A senior officer with curly hair and glasses answered, “here.”

“Steiger,”

“Here,” I answered.

“3-Robert-3”

Sparby was paired with a senior officer as well.

The sergeant addressed the room.

“We have two new officers in the squad starting tonight.  Cloyd Steiger and Steve Sparby.”

I expected long looks and sneers at a couple of boots, but everyone was friendly, always happy to have help.

“Steiger and Sparby,” Sergeant Kelsie said. “I’d like to see you in my office before you go out on the street.”

Oh shit, I thought.  What’s this about?

When roll-call broke up, everyone filed downstairs to the main floor of the precinct.  The sergeant’s office was at the bottom of the stairs.
 
Steve and I went in.

“Have a seat,” sergeant Kelsie said, pointing to two chairs in front of his desk.

We sat.

“I just want to let you know what’s expected of you,” he said.  “Just because you’ve got those shiny new badges and a title that says Police Officer, you won’t be considered real cops to the other guys until you prove yourself worthy.  That means when the shit hits the fan, you’re running in, not running out.  When someone says they need help (a word only used on the police radio for serious trouble), your asses better be there.

“Now go out on the street.”

We both nodded and left his office, heading out to our patrol cars.

It was only a couple of weeks before “the shit hit the fan.”  

After it did, Kelsie called us in again.

“You guys did good,” he said.  “You’ve proved yourself.”

I worked for Emett for another year.  During that time, he gave me excellent advice.

“If you don’t want to be a patrol officer in this station the rest of your career, you have to get noticed.  Do things, so people associate your name with good work.”

Emett left the precinct as was eventually promoted to lieutenant.

I worked the East Precinct a couple of years later, still on 3rd Watch, when Emett became the Watch Commander.  I was glad to be working for him again, though he supervised the entire Watch, not just a squad like sergeants do.

A couple of years later, I walked up to him.

“It was good working for you again,” I said.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked.

“I assumed you knew,” I said.  “As of Monday, I’m a detective."
A big smile crossed his face.
 
“Well, congratulations.”

I did a couple of years as a precinct detective, two years in Sex Crimes, and then was assigned to Homicide.  I’d been there a couple of years when Emett became the lieutenant in the Gang Unit.

I ran into him downtown one day.  I hadn’t seen him in a while.

“There he is!” he said and shook my hand.  “I was talking to (a homicide supervisor) and asked who the up and coming star in that unit was.  He said it was you.”

I was taken aback.

A few years later, Emett came to Homicide as the lieutenant.  We spent a lot more time together, mostly in the middle of the night at a murder scene.

He always gave me a hard time about living in the suburbs.  Every time there was a violent crime anywhere near (or not near) my house, he’d say, “See what I mean?”

“Emett,” I said.  “You live in Rainer Valley!”

I was working the night shift in Homicide one weekend with my partner, Greg Mixsell.  The Chief Dispatcher came over the radio and asked us to call him on the phone. When I called, he told me there was a homicide scene in Rainier Valley and gave me the address. I called Emett on the phone.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Look out your back window,” I said.  “What do you see?”

“I see police lights,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s a murder,” I said.  “Man, that never happens in my neighborhood.”

Later I was working a notorious high-profile murder—one that the mayor got on television about and said we would spare no expense to solve.

I walked into Emett’s office.

“John, [Nordlund] and I need to go to Saipan.”

He stared at me a moment and then said, “Where the hell is Saipan?”

“It’s an island in the Pacific Ocean, about ten thousand miles from here.”
He stared again

“When do you need to go?"

“Tomorrow.”

Another long stare and then, “Okay.”

The next morning we were on a plane.

Not long after, Emett retired. I didn’t see him after that, though we were Facebook friends and he would send me jokes all the time.

A few months ago, the Facebook God’s told me it was his birthday.  I intended to send him a note but thought I hadn’t talked to him in a few years.

I called him.

“Hello,” he said.

“Happy Birthday, old man.”

Long pause.

“Who is this?”

“It’s Cloyd,” I said—I’m a one-name person, like Cher and Madonna.

I heard his familiar big belly laugh.  

“How are you doing, man?”

We spoke for an hour.  It was great to catch up.

I’m really glad I made that call.

I heard this morning that Emett died.

Robert L. Woolverton #2582, retired Seattle police sergeant, passed away on Monday, July 26, 2021.  Bob was 82 years old.  He was hired on the department on May 25, 1966 and retired after 27 years of service in October 1993. 

Bob was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. His dad owned a bakery shop. He frequently treated the St. Louis cops to donuts and coffee. This exposure to officers motivated Bob to be a policeman at an early age. After high school Bob felt the draft was getting ready to serve him with an induction notice so he joined the Army. When his four-year enlistment was up, he reenlisted for another five years. One of his duties was shooting on the Army’s Slow Fire .45 Bullseye Team. He used to pour lead in his pistol’s magazine to add weight to his 1911A to strengthen his shooting arm.

Bob never lost his desire to be a police officer so when his last tour was up, he began researching various agencies to apply. He was too short to be a State Trooper but tall enough to be a Seattle Officer - well, almost. His height was just under 5’9”, which was the minimum. So, Bob did stretches and put match books in his socks. He passed.

He was hired on May 25, 1966. After working the streets in Georgetown for three months he was assigned to Academy Class 51 with Bill Hebert #2364 who also died recently. His class graduated in mid-November - back to patrol for a year. A little over a year later Bob transferred to solos for the next five years. During the 1969 Torchlight Parade he made an arrest of a suspect blocking a float. A fight ensued and suddenly another suspect blindsided Bob with a club fracturing his skull. Both suspects were arrested. Bob lived with the head trauma’s aftereffects for the rest of his career. He also had another injury from being struck while riding his bike. That driver was also arrested. While recovering from this injury, Bob studied for the Sergeant’s test. He made the list, so he went back to patrol for a year in preparation for promotion. On October 26, 1973, he made Sergeant and was assigned to East Central. Then he moved to Wallingford to work for Frank Jones #1885. When Frank became the Metro Captain he brought Bob into the Mounted Unit. There he had a horse roll over on him twice during the early 1980’s. Bob left Mounted in 1985 to go back to Patrol first at the South Precinct then the West Precinct. He finished up his career as Queen Sector Sergeant. He used to take his entire squad to the range to practice with duty ammo without ear protection to simulate actual street conditions. If an officer could not afford duty ammo, because in those days the department only provided wad cutters to practice with, Bob would buy the duty rounds. For years he was a member of the Department’s Pistol Combat Team, so he was a good instructor. Incidentally, one of his squad members was Bill Robertson #4688 whose father was one of the St. Louis cops that Bob’s dad treated at his bakery shop. Bob encouraged Bill to take the Sergeant tests. Bill did make Patrol Sergeant just like his father.

Bob retired on October 27, 1993, to enjoy his 40-foot cruiser that he purchased just in case he ever got to Harbor Patrol, he would be prepared to drive the boats. Maybe he thought he could take it off his taxes as a business expense. He also took up flying. What time was left over from maintaining his big boy toys, he continued to shoot. His house was filled with trophies.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife June who died in 2014. He is survived by his son Bob Woolverton Junior who was a Bothell Police Officer for 34 years. He rose to the rank of Captain. Now he teaches at the CJTC in Burien.

Daniel G. Love #5051, vested Seattle police patrol officer, passed away in Arizona on July 18th at the age of 61.  Dan joined the department on July 8, 1986 and left after thirteen years of service in 1999.  Dan's obituary can be read here.

Ted Gormley #2100, Retired Seattle Police Patrol Officer, passed away on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 83 years of age.

Theodore (Ted) John Gormley was born on November 15, 1937, in Medicine Lake, Montana. He was raised in Port Orchard Washington by Lucy (Tax) and Robert Gormley. Ted graduated from Bremerton High School.

Ted was a devout Catholic and believer his entire life. He rarely missed Sunday mass, and was often seen at daily mass, receiving the sacraments, and praying the rosary. He taught many CCD classes and volunteered on a regular basis. He gave generously to the Catholic Church and to many other Catholic charities especially the Maryknoll Sisters who serve the needs of the poor, hungry, ailing, and marginalized. As a pro-life advocate, you would often find Ted praying the rosary for our unborn children in public and attending pro-life events.

Ted enjoyed many activities with his family and friends, including camping, hunting, and sailing trips, 50-mile hikes with the Boy Scouts, coaching soccer, and spending time at the family home which he built himself on Lake Washington in the early 70s.

The “Lake House” was his happy place. He enjoyed having his family, friends, and their friends over for holidays, BBQs, and an annual 4th of July party. He was a terrific storyteller with a good sense of humor. No one ever left the family home or a phone call without him saying, “Love Ya, God Bless.”

Ted had many public service-focused jobs throughout his life. In 1952, when he was just 15 years old, he joined the Army National Guard. He was an Army reservist until 1955, then joined the Airforce in 1956. He was a part of the United States Air Force Pre-Flight Training School, Class of 1959, then he was in the Airforce Reserve where he was honorably discharged in 1964. Ted spent a couple years as a draftsman for Boeing before being appointed to the Seattle Police Department in December of 1960. Ted graduated from the Seattle Police Academy on December 15, 1961, Class No. 43 – Badge #303. He enjoyed serving the city of Seattle for over 28 years. Upon his retirement from the Seattle Police Association in April of 1990, Ted was presented with a plaque which read, “You have always been reliable and a source of wisdom for the younger officers. Your sense of humor and stories will be truly missed by your peers and supervisors.” Ted also served with the Seattle Harbor Patrol and “Dive Team” during his tenure as a police officer. In his spare time, he worked as a diver for Foss Tugs and as a security guard for banks and grocery stores. After his retirement from the Seattle Police Department, he served 19 years for the King County Corrections – Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.

Ted was caring, big-hearted, and always ready for an adventure. He was a loving grandfather who loved to teach his grandkids how to sail, fish, and play Dominos.

Ted passed away on July 17, 2021, after a long battle with cancer. His family takes comfort in knowing he passed away peacefully. We are incredibly grateful for the caring Hospice staff who took incredible care of him all the way to his last days. We know his physical suffering had subsided and that he was at peace in the end when he finally went home to Jesus. We also want to share our gratitude for Jennifer and her staff at the Filbert Adult Family home who took great care of pops during his last month. He will be remembered by many, including his loving children: Stacy, Michele, Regina, Danny, Gary, Heather, Molly, G.I.B., Casey, Kieran, and grandchildren: Christina, Joshua, Derrick, Heidi, Fantasia, Ethan, Emily, Noah, Kimberly, Mason, as well as his best friend Bud and good friends Steve, Rodney, and Phil. Friends may join the family on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 11:00 at St. Mark Catholic Church in Shoreline for his funeral mass. A rosary will precede the mass and will begin at 10:30am. Unfortunately, due to COVID protocols, there will be no gathering after the service. In lieu of flowers, family members request a donation be made to St. Mark Catholic Church, Shoreline in Ted’s name where he was a parishioner for more than 50 years.

Published Obit

Ted was born in Medicine Lake, Montana. He spent his early years there where he acculturated to the country boy ethic. Then his family moved to Port Orchard where he attended Bremerton High. While he was a sophomore, he joined the National Guard. Two years later upon graduation, he joined the Army Reserve. In 1956 he transferred to the Air Force and had three years of active duty followed by five years of reserve duty. As his active duty time winded down, he landed a job with Boeing as a draftsman for approximately 18 months. The job was too sedentary for Ted so he applied to the Seattle Police Department. He was hired on December 28, 1960.

Ted worked Patrol West Central relief for nine months before attending Academy class 43. His Academy training ended on December 15, 1961. Then he was assigned with John Boren #2235 (a lateral from New Mexico), to car 111 which today would be Southern George sector. They work together until Ted was assigned to the Tac Squad in late 1968. There he was partnered with John Erickson #2464 for the next five years.

While there Ted bought a 61-foot wide lakefront lot on Lake Washington just outside of the north city limit. He replaced the old shack on it with a beautiful house that he built. He not only did the rough work but also the finish work himself. The project went on for several years and many, many times caused Ted to be late for his 7pm roll call. He was late so often that he got the reputation of “running on Gormley time”. Soon, whenever any of his squad mates were late, they claimed being on “Gormley time”.

The Tac squad was the Department’s lead element during the years of civil unrest for riot control. In 1973, many of the squad members were rotated to other units for career enhancement after going into University of Washington property (without its blessing) chasing rioters. Consequently, Ted ended up in Harbor for the next ten years.

There he worked with Ed Fjerstad #3185 and Art Vanpuymbrouck #3357. He became a diver in addition to being a boat driver. On one occasion when a pleasure boat capsized and trapped its owner underwater, Ted immediately stripped off his clothes, dove into the cold and choppy Puget Sound water, swam under the overturned boat and freed the entangled boat owner. Then Ted guided the owner back to the surface saving his life.

In 1983, Ted transferred to the Seattle Center Detail to work for Mark Bailey #2184 on the night shift. He stayed at the Center until retirement on May 1, 1990, after twenty-eight years and four months of service.

He then went to work for King County Corrections - Department of Adult Detention for the next nineteen years. After retiring from King County, he mentored several ex-inmates that he helped turn around during work release. He was known for his compassionate big-hearted nature and was always available to help his neighbors or anyone down on their luck.

During his non-work years, he enjoyed his many hobbies: fishing, hunting, sailing his 40-foot ketch, camping, hiking and helping with the Boy Scout program.

Ted is survived by his ten children: Stacy, Michele, Regina, Danny, Gary, Heather, Molly, Gib, Casey, Kieran and ten grandchildren.

Tom “TC” Miller #3023, retired Seattle Police Homicide Sergeant passed away on July 13th, 2021, at the age of 76.
 
TC went to school in the Bay Area of greater San Francisco. After high school, he entered into the US Army. After discharge, he settled in Seattle.
 
His first job was with Seattle Transit. He worked there from May 16th, 1967, until January 19th, 1969. During this time, he applied to the Seattle Police Department. He passed the screening tests and the background.
 
The department hired him on January 20th, 1969. After the three-day orientation, he was assigned to patrol for several months. He was then assigned to Academy Class #58. Frank Kampsen #2769 was one of TC's academy mates. This was a time of mass police hiring due to all the civil unrest (riots) across the nation. Seattle was not different. Many of the older officers did not want to work with the rookies. So TC, having completed the Academy just weeks earlier, was designated as a Training Officer. His first student officer was Mike Burke #3140., who had more street time than TC, but had not finished Academy Class #60. They were together during the UO season, about three months. Decades later, in the early 1991, Mike as an Acting Sergeant called Homicide to the scene of a suspicious death, a possible murder. It looked like someone hung the victim and kicked the stool from under his feet. TC was the Homicide Sergeant that responded. He informed Mike this was not a murder, nor even suspicious. It was an obvious accidental death of auto eroticism. Mike replied, “what is that?” TC explained it. Then Mike defensively said, “how would I know, you never taught me about that when you were my FTO.”
 
 TC worked patrol for the first 15 years of his career, both South and North. In the 1970s, he and Mike Donnely #3129 worked 3 Union 4. One night they responded to a stop and rob at 65th and 15th NE. Both officers had a premonition that this call could go very wrong. As they arrived on scene, the armed suspect began to turn toward TC, so Mike had to shoot him with a shotgun. The pellets struck the suspect’s groin region.  The suspect was grievously wounded. No eroticism for him from then on. Shortly thereafter, Mike and TC caught several suspects in burglaries in progress. Soon their district crime went down, while neighboring districts crimes went up. The odd coincidence about the partnering of Mike and TC, was that Mike also grew up in the Bay Area and even dated the sister of TC's girlfriend. But they never encountered each other until assigned to Union Sector.
 
TC got an opportunity to go to K9. Then Mike partnered up with Tim Tieken #2721. After a while, Tim went to the Canine unit. So, Mike figured why fight it, he might as well go to the dogs also. And he did. The three were there together.  
 
TC was very in tuned with his partner, Police Dog Mitch. In fact, he was so in tune with all dogs that he was made the Unit Training Officer. The department sent TC to Bleckede, Germany to attend Zollhundeschule - dog training school for police dogs.  
 
Mitch and TC gave many demonstrations at the U of W Basketball games and interviews on TV and radio programs about the department’s Canine program. One evening, Mitch gave a Golden Gardens tough guy a real-life demonstration. Mr. tough guy suddenly pushed TC, Mitch jumped out up the patrol car’s window and pulled the suspect to the ground. Then the suspect got to his feet and begin to run away. Mitch pursued him and again dragged him to the ground. Now the suspect attempted to fight Mitch, a mistake. Mitch is very upset and tears a hunk out of the suspect’s calf. Then pins him to the ground. Now the suspect got the point, and a trip to the emergency room.  
 
TC made Sergeant in 1988. Two years later, he transferred to the Detectives. In 1991, he was assigned to Homicide. He retired from the Department on August 2nd,  1997. He had 30 years total service with the city. His favorite duty was working with Mitch.
 
In retirement, he was the Northwest Regional Security Consultant for ARCO Corp from 1997 to 2007. Then he spent his time camping with his wife of 26 years, Reva, visiting friends and occasionally training a dog.
 
TC is survived by his wife Reva, who was a department Administrative Specialist in Vehicle Crimes, his three sons TJ, Andy and Jake.

John “Jack” Fox #2596, Retired Seattle Police Patrol Officer, passed away Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 84 years of age.

Jack was born and raised in Seattle. He lived in the Central area at 21st and Columbia. He attended Immaculate Conception grade school. Then he went to Seattle Prep in his freshman and sophomore years. For his junior and senior years, he transferred to O’Dea. All during his high school years he worked after class in various grocery stores cleaning, stocking and delivering orders. He continued to work in the grocery store business after graduation. In 1957 Jack joined the Marines. When his hitch was up, he returned to Seattle in 1959.

Jack still had two years of reserve duty which fit in well with his new job as a custodial counselor at the Youth Center. After two years Jack grew tired of babysitting a bunch of young criminals and “troubled youth”, so he applied at Boeing. With his military security clearance, he landed a position in Boeing’s Defense Division. He stayed at Boeing from 1961 until mid-1964. The last project he worked on was Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara’s dreamer weapon the TFX - a multi-purpose fighter bomber for all branches of the Armed Forces. It was a failure. Boeing lost the contract and Jack was laid off. At this time, Jack married his wife Dorothy on September 8, 1964. They moved to sunny California where Jack got a job as a driving instructor. The newlyweds were doing fine financially until son John was born in 1965. In August the infamous Watt’s riot occurred causing Dorothy, Jack and baby John to reconsider sunny California and move back to Seattle. Jack went back to Boeing for a year then applied to the SPD.

He was hired on at the Department in 1966 and attended Class 51. After graduation he was assigned to the Central Precinct working relief both East and West, except for three months TDY to assist the new “Trainee” program the Department started. In late 1967 he got a permanent car in Charlie Sector working with Ray Roller #2690 who had just graduated from Academy #53. They worked together for three years. During these years Jack’s son Steve was born. Ray transferred to Traffic, so Jack and Larry Harvey #3189 teamed up working Charlie Sector on both 1st and 3rd watch for the next four years. Jack was the oldest and most senior officer in the squad. Working with all the youngsters turned his lite blonde hair silver white. So the squad nicknamed him the “Silver Fox”. Jack had a photographic memory, good street instincts and conscientious work ethic. But one night he failed to show up to roll call. Harvey answered up for Jack then drove out to his house in Edmonds. Jack could barely walk to the door because his foot was so injured. He explained the neighbor kids were always leaving their toys in his yard. So, as he walked out in the dark to go to 1st watch he saw that one of the kids had left their basketball in his yard again. Being irritated, he gave the ball a swift kick. The problem was that the basketball was actually a bowling ball - off to the hospital’s emergency room for x-rays and treatment. He was on sick leave for several shifts. While he was gone one of his young squad mates also with light blonde hair was using Jack’s name and serial number whenever a citizen was unhappy with the young officer’s manner. It was a win-win as the young officer was never IDed and Jack was always cleared being on disability leave. His daughter Jill was born about this time. In 1975 he transferred to Wallingford. His last partner was Ken Nicholas #2598. After Ken, Jack worked one officer cars in Nora Sector.

Jack worked every off-duty job, that fit in with his work and family schedule, such as sporting events, rock shows, and flat shows in the Kingdome and at the Seattle Center. His steady moonlighting job was the Coleman Ferry Terminal. He did this off duty work so he could send his three children to Catholic grade school in Edmonds and later Blanchet.

In 1992 after 26 years of service in Patrol, where he felt he could do the most good for the citizens of Seattle, Jack retired. This was the same year Jill graduated from high school. Now Jack and his wife Dorothy had more time for themselves traveling and working on their Edmonds home that they lived in for 50+ years.

Jack was preceded in death by his son Steve and survived by his wife of 57 years, Dorothy, son John, daughter Jill and five grandchildren. Grandchild Ryan, Steve’s son, is currently in the WSP Academy getting ready to graduate.     

Glenn Gilbert #2511, Retired Seattle Police Detective passed away on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at the age of 83.

Glenn Gilbert was born January 20, 1938 to Charlotte Parker and Norman Gilbert in Iowa City, Iowa. He passed away July 1, 2021 after a short battle with cancer.

At age 17, Glenn joined the Air Force and was stationed in Germany as a jet mechanic. While in the Air Force, he competed for the Junior Olympics in platform diving. He came to Seattle in 1962 with his first wife and young family and joined the Seattle Police Department in 1965 where he served for 25 years, first as a patrolman, then in motorcycles (including the SPD drill team), then in canines, and finally as a detective. While serving, he received a commendation from the Seattle Police Chief and the U.S. Department of Justice. Glenn earned a B.A. from the University of Puget Sound the same year his oldest daughter graduated from high school.

Glenn met the love of his life, Patty, while both were with the police department. They married in 1978 and shortly after moved to Poulsbo where they lived for 43 years. After retiring from the SPD in 1990, he joined the Seattle Municipal Court Marshalls. He also served as a Port Commissioner in Poulsbo. During his retirement, Glenn pursued three of his loves: fishing, boating and golf. He and Patty enjoyed their "little house" in Sun Cove for 24 years, their time shares in Mexico and more recently, wintering in Sun Lakes, Arizona. He was definitely a lover of sunshine. Glenn was also an avid Seahawks fan from their very first game, a voracious reader, a master woodworker, a crossword aficionado, and motorcycle enthusiast. Glenn loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and his many dogs.

Glenn was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Barbara, his daughters Lisa and Kelly. He is survived by wife Patty, his children Michelle (Trevor), Norman, Russell (Sherry), Ron (Vicki), Josie and Michael (Annette), as well as his 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren

In October 1979 on a routine cold, dark and rainy Sunday night Glenn had no idea he would be involved in the bloodiest jailbreak in King County history.  While on the precinct mail run and returning the trustee to the jail, driving down James Street, Glenn saw a group of men dressed in King County overalls glancing around nervously walking up James Street.  The trustee told Glenn that something amiss.  

As he turned the patrol car around to investigate radio broadcast the first jail break alert.  At 4th Avenue & James Street the escapees started to split up.  Two getaway cars, both stolen Ford Mustangs, converged on the intersection.  David Warriner, Pierre Parent, and Roger Raynor clambered into a red Mustang driven by a white male, later identified as William Dennis Dunne.  The getaway car sped up James Street with Glenn in hot pursuit.  Pulling alongside Glenn signaled the Mustang to stop.  When Dunne failed to obey Glenn opened fire with his service revolver.  Dunne sideswiped Glenn's patrol car, slowing it down, and sped east on James Street.  While letting radio know what was happening Glenn lost sight of the Mustang at the top of the hill.
Responding officers found the Mustang crashed into a cement retaining wall at Harvard Avenue and East Union Street.  Glenn's gunfire had wounded Dunne in the left shoulder and killed Roger Raynor.  

Warriner and Parent had run from the crash scene, carjacked a Farwest Taxi at gunpoint and sped away.  At 19th Avenue near East Fir Street they skidded on the wet pavement and crashed the cab into a utility pole.  Parent was captured nearby by T.C. Miller #3271 after being taken down by Mitch.  Warriner vanished into the night.  

While this was going on, officers Frankie Alexander and Randy Benson had stopped escapees Randy Joe Williams and Gary Van Pilon on Cherry Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues.  While the officers were handcuffing the escapees, the second getaway car, a brown Mustang, pulled alongside.  The driver, later identified as Lawrence Charles Bailey, stuck a gun out the window and shot Officer Alexander twice seriously wounding him in the chest.  The gunshot wounds would affect Frankie the rest of his life.  Pilon escaped into the vehicle as Bailey tried frantically to drive away.  Randy opened fire wounding Bailey in the chest.  The Mustang finally gained traction on the wet pavement pulled away but collided with two patrol cars at 5th Avenue and Cherry Street.  Bailey, regained control of the Mustang, and sped northbound on 5th Avenue.  

Pursuing officers forced the Mustang to the curb at 5th Avenue and Pike Street, where they took Bailey and Pilon, still wearing Frankie's handcuffs, into custody.  Glenn was finally able to return the trustee back to the jail where he was overheard saying "enough is enough".  

Two months later Glenn made detective and was assigned to Burglary/Theft where he partnered with Jack Kriney #2990.  After Jack was transferred to homicide in 1989, Glenn retired one year later on September 14, 1990 after twenty-five years of service.  In retirement Glenn kept busy.  He worked as a Municipal Court Marshal and served as Port Commissioner for the city of Poulsbo.  Glenn enjoyed golfing and fishing, but his favorite activity was going to time shares with his wife of forty-three years, Patty. 

Robert “Bob” Armstrong #1516, Retired Seattle Police Officer passed away on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at the age of 91.

Bob was born and spent his early years in Wenatchee. His family moved to the Burien area just as he entered high school. He attended Highline High and played on their football team. After graduation, he held temporary mechanic jobs because employment was scarce due to the fact that WWII veterans were frequently filling up employment positions using their veteran preference hiring privilege. In 1950 Bob joined the Army. He served in the Korean Conflict. In December 1953 he was demobilized and returned to Seattle.

The Seattle Police Department was in expansion programs at the time so Bob applied. Now with his new veteran preference, he was hired immediately as a provisional patrolman in January 1954. Backgrounding candidates was very fast and simple then. He worked patrol for the next six months. In July he was assigned to Academy Class 32. Two of his academy classmates were Jack Stanton #1565 and Jerry Boyer #1422.

Bob was assigned back to patrol for six months. Then suddenly the department decided Bob was needed on motorcycles for the next seven months. In October 1955 he was returned to patrol for three years. After that, he was reassigned to solos for another year. In November 1959 he was assigned back to patrol until he vested with 21 years of service in 1975. During these years he also landed a couple of stints as summer help in Harbor.  Most importantly, in 1962 while detailed as temporary help in the Misdemeanor Warrants Office on the first floor of PSB, he met his wife Donna who was working the Time Pay Window of Warrants.

Bob vested to take a job in Warrants as a civilian and work alongside Donna. He worked there for a year. He then left city employment because he got a job as Security Director at Bergman’s Luggage on 3rd and Stewart. After a couple of years, he got a better job working security at the Fry Art Museum at 7th and Terry.

Bob quit working in the mid 1980’s to enjoy his retirement because of the COLA increases to both his pension and Social Security that occurred due to inflation during the Carter Administration. He spent his time riding his motorcycle, painting and writing poetry. In fact, he won the Distinction Award from the World of Poetry Publishers. In 2011 Bob and his daughter Cynthia bought a house together with a large yard. Bob then worked on the house and gardened for the next ten years.

He is survived by his two adult children Cynthia and Richard.

James “JD” Nicholson #2622, Retired Seattle Police Detective, passed away on Friday, May 21st, 2021 at 78 years of age.  JD was hired on October 10, 1966 and retired on January 19, 1993. Retired Detective Jay Nicholson #2770 is JD’s brother.
 
JD was born and raised in Lake City until he was eight years old. Then the family moved to Spokane. He participated in sports at an early age. He was an all league football running and offense back at the Central Valley High. He played third base varsity baseball all three years of high school. After graduation in 1961, he enrolled at Boise Junior College. There he played defensive back for two years, the 1961 and 1962 seasons.
 
He left college to enlist in the Air Force for four years to see the world. His first duty station after basic and advanced training, was Moses Lake for over a year. Some foreign posting huh, just miles from home! His next assignment was Vietnam, his last duty station was in California. He got an early discharge  to join the Seattle Police Department.  
 
JD was hired on October 10th, 1966. After almost three years in Patrol, he transferred to the Special Patrol Squad. One night while involved in a pursuit of a fleeing felon, the suspect did a U turn and ran head on into JD's compact Dodge Dart. The dart was totaled, and JD was taken to Virginia Mason. Both his legs sustained injuries.
 
His next assignment was Research and Development. He and another up and coming young officer, Sonny Davis #3057 developed the department M.I.R. Code system. Over the next four years they worked on many innovations, a time of change for the department.
 
Then a job installing VARDA alarms for Sergeant Charles Scheuffele #1864, came up so JD moved to the Pawn Shop Property Recovery Squad. He stayed there several years until he fell off a ladder while installing a hidden robbery camera in 1979. A year later he passed the detective’s test.  
 
Due to his excellent work installing the VARDA systems, he was offered a position in Robbery. He worked for Joe Sanford #1896. Joe teamed JD with Larry Stewart #2420. After five years, JD began looking for a new assignment.
 
In early 1986, he transferred to Vice. His partner was Gene Birkeland #2539. On a night raid in 1988, in an upper-level apartment, one of the suspects attempted to run. JD thought he was still a defensive back going against a tight end and tackled the 6’ 9” guy. But unfortunately, both of them tumbled down a flight of stairs ending up in a hard landing. JD injured his knee again.
 
In 1989, he was approached to go to Narcotics. He worked with Mike Ciesynski #4749. Again, on a stakeout he reinjured his knee. But he recovered and remained in the unit until he retired after 26 years and four months of service in 1993.
 
He moved to Gilbert, Arizona where he golfed almost every morning getting his handicap down to an eight. JD became an avid reader. He had over 3,000 hardcover books in his library causing him to remodel rooms and build bookshelves to store all of the reading material.
 
His parents and his sister Sue preceded him in death. He is survived by his older sister Penny and three brothers Jay #2770, Kim and Van.

Bert Richards #1693, Retired Seattle Police Detective passed away on May 21, 2021 at the age of 93.

Bert was raised in Edmonds, Washington. Immediately after graduation from Edmonds High he joined the US Navy. His first year in the Navy included the closing months of World War II. He was discharged in early 1948.

He returned to his parents’ house in Edmonds and within a few months the family moved to Renton,  in the Kennedale Neighborhood. There, Bert landed a job at the Bar-B Lumbermill, which no longer exists. He worked there seven years and became bored with the routine, so he applied to the SPD.

He was hired on the department on March 13, 1956. His first assignment before going to the Academy was walking a beat in Georgetown. This lasted less than a year. After the Academy he was assigned to second watch West Central first working Car 114 with Robert M. Davis #1758 on lower Queen Anne and Belltown. One evening they stopped Municipal Court Judge Simmons for suspicious driving. This is the judge that later had to leave the bench. As the old furniture store window on Sixth Avenue declared “try our Simmons mattress then you be the judge.”

Bert’s next assignment was working the special squad (now SWAT) with Don Vert #2168 in the early 1960s.

After a couple of years, Bert returned to West Central Patrol to work Car 123 with Tom Caldwell #1845. All his partner comment’s  - what a great guy to work alongside.

On January 1, 1970, Bert transferred to the detectives to work South Burglary. After several months, he was invited to go to Vice. He was part of the Bingo Parlor Investigations. After the stent in Vice he returned to Burglary. When the new South Precinct was being built,  a few detectives were designated as Decentralized B/T and located temporarily in the old Georgetown Precinct. They moved to the new precinct several months later. Bert was a very effective in the south end due to his living in Burien, working South Burglary for his time spent in the Special Patrol Squad. He had a good rapport with the patrol officers and was adept at developing informants. He retired on March 17, 1984, after 28 years of service.

Back when Burt was a Police man the job did not pay as well as today. So, he was forced to moonlight in order to provide for his family. He worked in uniform as bank security, then as a yard man at Campbell Lumber in Burien for 10 years.

After retiring he got a job at Long Acres Race Track which he worked for seven years. This allowing his wife Mirna and him to keep up their hobbies of bowling and square dancing. They were active in both activities. Bert bowled in league play and travelled up and down the West Coast, Mirna went with him to each game.

When RAP started at the old Elks Lodge in Lake City, Bert was its first Secretary/Treasurer. He began each financial report with “money in the bank. “

Mirna proceeded Bert in death, dying in 2012. He is survived by his son Dale, daughter Catherine Doeleman, two grandchildren and eight great grandchildren and two great great grandchildre

William “Bill” Kirk #3358, Retired Seattle Patrol Officer passed away on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 82 years of age.
 
Bill was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.  His family moved to Yam, Oregon, which is near McMinnville.  He attended Yam High School playing both basketball and baseball.  In 1956, while in his Junior year, Bill joined the Marine Corps.
 
While in the Marines, he earned his GED and attended college night classes.  In 1962 he was stationed at the Bremerton Naval Ship Yard. There he met his wife, Esther.  One year later they were married.  He played baseball for his unit.  Bill was next assigned to San Diego to attend Drill Instructor School.  His final posting was Vietnam.  Bill left the Marines after 14 years of service and in 1970 switched to the Army Reserves.
 
In April 1970 Bill joined the Seattle Police Department.  He worked in the original Georgetown Precinct and later in the current South Precinct building.  His entire career was patrolling the south end.  He was partnered with Mark Gilbert #2919.  The partnership lasted ten years.  Both were FTO’s, so when there was not a student officer they would team up and frequently work the Alki car.  One evening they responded to a disturbance call on Alki.  A young man had a super soaker pump water gun filled with vinegar, he was squirting both cars and pedestrians. They located the suspect, talked to him and told him to leave the area. Thirty minutes later, they saw him again squirting people and cars.  This time he became a smart mouth, so the officers braced him for being not only a pest but stupid.  By the middle of this interaction his moniker became Mr. Stupid.  He replied you can't treat me this way, my dad is a captain on the department.  In fact, his dad was not just any captain but their Precinct Captain.  Unfazed, they ordered Mr. Stupid to go home immediately or to go to the Youth Center and to give his dad their regards.  The next day Romero Yumul #2226 thanked Bill and Mark for the way they handled his son, and told them that after he was finished with "Mr. Stupid" he would wish they had put him in the Youth Center.
 
In 1984 Bill was best man at Mark's wedding.  Their partnership ended when Mark was transferred to David Sector to walk a beat. Then Bill and Bob Lisoski #2817 worked together.  One shift they encountered three young Marines.  After reminiscing with them Bill invited them to his little farm near Black Diamond to ride horses and have dinner.  This friendship lasted for years.  Bill raised horses and grew hay so he started a hay handling business.  His wife Esther started a cleaning business in Midway.  Bill had almost all the South Precinct officers as clients.
 
Bill played softball for the Seattle Blues (Department team).  In a game against WSP at Bush Prairie it rained so hard that when he hit a long drive he could hardly run the bases.  His arms were pumping like mad, but his legs were stuck and sliding in the muddy slop.  He finally made it to second base but in the slop he slid around the base totally missing it.  As he tried to crawl back to the bag, he looked like a competitor in mud wrestling.  He didn't make it but did provide comic relief to both teams.
 
In 1983 Bill transferred to Communications.  He worked radio for three years then back to Patrol for his final five years.  During his career Bill had the distinction of working for Bill Kramer #2170 at every rank the chief had attained.
 
Bill had to retire after 20 years of service due to a neck injury.  He also had 20-year military pension.  Before leaving the department, he mentored his 13 year old daughter Donna in playing baseball.  She was so good that the Seattle Police Athletic Association sponsored her to go to the National Slowpitch  (NSSSA) Tournament in Florida.  In retirement, Bill worked his small farm.  His wife Esther passed away in May 2016.
 
Bill is survived by his wife of four years Karen, and his three daughter’s Donna, Debbie and Diane, and his son David.

Pat Munter #2638, Retired Seattle Police Major, passed away on Monday, May 3, 2021 at 77 years of age.
 
Pat was raised in the South Park neighborhood.  His mother arranged for him to attend Sacred Heart Parish School next to the Seattle Center in lower Queen Anne.  There he and Al O'Brien #2720, were classmates and played team soccer.  When they were in the 7th grade their team won the city CYO Soccer Championship, Pat was the goalie.  His family moved to the Greenwood neighborhood in North Seattle so Pat could attend Blanchet High.  He played football and ran track.  For years Pat held the school record in the 440.  He graduated from Blanchet in 1961.
 
Pat first attended college in Oregon then transferred to the University of Washington in his sophomore year.  He was a walk on for Husky football.  He worked as a lifeguard at the Seattle Tennis Club.  
 
In 1966, before completing his bachelor's degree, Pat was hired on the department.  He worked Patrol for three months before attending the Academy Class #52.  While in the academy, he attended  U of W night classes to finish up his degree. In April 1967 Pat graduated from the academy and six weeks later was awarded his bachelor's degree.
 
One of Pat’s academy mates was Dean Quall #2609.  After leaving the academy, they teamed up to work Queen Anne for the next two years.  During their partnership Dean’s family adopted the entire Munter clan for the holiday celebrations. This tradition and relationship lasted to present day.
 
It mid-1969, Pat was assigned to the academy as an Instructor until he was transferred to the detectives in July 1970.  He stayed there for almost five years, during this time he earned his law degree from UPS.  He was promoted to sergeant. His old patrol partner Dean was also promoted off this list in 1976.  Incidentally several other of his classmates were promoted to sergeant: Steve Butler #2610, Larry Hart #2047 and Dave Ritter #2373. Academy Class #52 was very close and every year since graduation they have held a reunion except for last year due to COVID-19.
 
In 1978, Pat was promoted to lieutenant. One of his assignments was Aide to Chief of Police Pat Fitzsimons.  The chief disapproved of Munter wearing cowboy boots with his suit while serving in the chief's office.  In 1983, Pat was promoted to captain and assigned to Vice, Burglary and Theft and IIS. In 1992, he was promoted to major overseeing Vice and Narcotics.  Three years later he retired with 27 and a half years of service.  Pat was the highest ranking member of Class 52.
 
In retirement Pat ordered a hot tub. The only catch was his house had a steep driveway and several steep stairs. The installation crew said no problem, they could handle the steep driveway and stairs.  Well, they did after breaking one hot tub backing down the driveway and another one while carrying it up the stairs.  The third try was the charm-success.
 
In 2002, Pat married Joan. They knew each other from high school. They both helped Tom Sutton #2421 arranged the Academy Class 52 yearly reunions.  Some of which were out of state events.  Pat was very active in RSPOA. He rewrote its by-laws that are in effect to this date.  He took up golf to fill his time and even got his old partner Dean to take up the game.  Pat remained active with the Native American Cultural Center at Fort Lawton.
 
Pat is survived by his wife of 19 years Joan, his sister’s Lucille Gibbs and Karen Hiltbruner.

William “Bill” Green #2236, Retired Seattle Police Sergeant, passed away .on April 28, 2021 at the age of 83.

Bill was born and raised in Shelton.  His family eventually settled in Seattle.  Bill attended Seattle Prep on Capitol Hill.  There he played football.  After graduation he enrolled in Seattle University.  During this time, he met his wife Barbara who was a senior at Holy Angels High. They dated for several years before getting married in June 1959.  Now Bill needed more income, so he and his brother Don started the Green Brothers Trucking Company.  Business was good so Bill worked there even after joining the PD.

Bill was hired on the department in March 1962.  He was assigned to Patrol for four years.  In May of 1966 he transferred to Traffic, riding solos for the next five years. He even road motorcycle escorts off duty for Roger Hempleman.  He became a member of the Drill Team which traveled up and down the West Coast performing in parades.  Barbara and the kids went to every Seafair Parade to watch dad ride. For many years Bill's trucking company raised money for the drill team.

At the end of 1971, he transferred back to Patrol because his number was coming up on the sergeant’s promotional list.  He wanted to refresh his patrol skills and learn any new patrol duties.  After two months, he was promoted and reassigned to Traffic.  He spent the next 13 years in enforcement (4 wheels).  During the years he was in traffic, when not performing in parades, he worked every Seafair event, Goodwill Games event and construction detail for the Kingdome and its events that required intersection control.  When he went back to Patrol in the North Precinct, he worked the Freedom Games sporting events.  All the standing at the traffic control posts raised havoc with Bill's legs causing him to give up jogging and basketball.  But it did not stop him from taking his squads out to fish on his 22-foot Chris Craft.

He loved the outdoors, snow skiing, water skiing and camping.  He also loved to coach sports.  He and Dale Schenck #2137 and Pat Murphy #1652 coached the department's Bamtam football teams in the late 60s.  Several of these players went on to play on Division One college teams such as Joe Bouffious’s #3047 brother-in-law.  Later, Pat and Bill purchased their players uniforms at the 3 GI's sporting goods store owned by Joe's father in law.  Bill also coached Univac Baseball in North King County with Dale Schenck.  Then Bill became an assistant volunteer coach at Blanchet High and Shorecrest High.  One of Bill's last coaching recruitment was to convince Joe to help coach basketball at Saint Marks Elementary School in Lake Forest Park.

Bill retired in September 1992 with 30 years of service.  He was no couch potato. He was a coach.  So he applied to be a full time football coach at Shorecrest High School.  Right up to the last minute his favorite attire was his Shorecrest Coach’s sweatshirt and pants.
Dale Schenck encouraged Bill to start golfing.  One day at the Nile he attempted to tee off and hit the ball straight up.  When the ball came down Bill caught it.  Both Dale and Dick Sherwood #2906 yelled that's a 2 stroke penalty because you interfered with the balls drop.  This ruined Bill’s game for the round. 

Bill became very active at RAP.  He was Vice President in 2015 in 2018.  He was President in 2016 and 2019 through March of 2021.  Everyone enjoyed the unorthodox way he ran the meetings.

Bill is survived by his wife, of almost 62 years, Barbara, four adult children Debbie, Kathy, Terry and Jon and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mark Bisson # 5080, Retired Seattle Police Patrol Officer passed away on April 22, 2021 at the age of 57.
 
Mark was born and raised in Spokane Washington. He attended Ferris high, participating in basketball and track. In fact, he went to the state track meet every year. He was a state champ in the 400m sprint event. Upon high school graduation, he needed a job because he had to support himself. The Clarkston- Lewiston metro area hired him as a 19-year-old traffic officer,  riding solos. He joined the Pistol Team there. After three years he applied to Seattle PD. He was hired on December 2, 1986 and was immediately sent to the Academy. He formed a study group with Jim Arata #5258, Eric Barden #5111 and Mike Magan #5094. 

Both Mark and Mike were sent to the North Precinct as student officers. Mark ‘s FTO was Steve Jarvis #2688. They were together for a month. It was clear to Steve that Mark was a well prepared and ready to be cut loose early from SO training. Except Steve thought Mark needed to be introduced to golf. He was a natural and became an avid golfer. He went on to be a division one golfer in the Golf Association. Mark’s final SO phase was walking a beat with Don Werth#4168 in David Sector. Mark liked the Patrol work in David and King sector so much that he stayed in the West Precinct his entire career.
 
In the early 1990’s, Mark partnered up with Eric Barden, his academy mate and they work second watch, a two-officer car in David Sector for two years. One afternoon they got a call of a street person in a wheelchair harassing women customers at the tavern in the 100 block of Pine Street. It turned out the suspect was a double amputee above the knees. The bartender wanted the suspect removed; the women customers wanted him taken into custody. As Eric and Mark begin to escort the suspect out, he stopped and locked his wheelchair in the doorway. Then jumped out of the chair and begin running on his leg stubs out into oncoming traffic on First Avenue. By the time the officers got around the wheelchair blocking the door, the suspect was still running in traffic but his rolled up trouser legs had unwrapped and were trailing behind his short thighs. The officers finally caught up to him, but he ignored their commands to stop. So, Mark stepped on one of the trailing pant legs, this brought the suspect to a sudden stop, pulling him out of the trousers. Now the officers have a very irate drunk, wearing only BVD’s,  refusing to get up and out of the street causing a scene.  Luckily, Dutch Sisler arrived with the drunk wagon and took the suspect to Detox. Dutch helped many officers keep downtown safe and sane.
 
 In the late 1990’s Mark moved to third watch to work with John Powers #6243.  Mark did his old routine that he perfected with Nick Metz #4737. They would park the prowl car out of sight and wait for a group of young people yelling and shouting causing a ruckus, disturbing the peace after bar closing. Mark, who had a good baritone voice, would startle the group by singing a country song then told them to get out of his district – pronto.   
 
Mark ‘s last partner was Robin Roberts #5441 from 2007 until retirement in 2011. Robin would watch Mark do the New York Times crossword puzzles in a few minutes; this included the Sunday puzzle. He was also good at analyzing horse racing forms. He loved watching the horses run. Robin wished that Steve Jarvis had not introduced Mark to golf because Mark never gave Robin a chance to win. Mark was very athletic, super competitive and used psychology to throw off his opponent’s game.
 
Mark retired on June 29, 2011. He moved to Tucson, Arizona to be able to golf more. When not golfing, he started a hobby of buying old motorcycles online to restore then sell. He was always a Gonzaga basketball fan. He went to the games whenever possible. When he worked in Clarkston-Lewiston he never missed a zags game. On February 24, 2017 he married his wife, Andrea. She got a job in Tampa, Florida so they moved. In February of this year, Mark began a fight for his life. Unfortunately, the odds were against him. He passed away peacefully two months later in the home of his dreams.

Manny Washington #4078 retired Seattle Police Detective passed away on April 5, 2021 at the age of 74.

Manny was born and raised in Slidell, Louisiana. After school to help out the family he worked in a bakery. When he graduated, he married his high school sweetheart Audrienna. Shortly there after he landed a job with Boeing and moved to Seattle. His job was to operate diagnostic equipment during test flights of new aircraft. But his real vocation was working with youngsters. He coached junior football on the side. Eventually he left Boeing and went to Garfield High as the Dean of Students and was the football and track coach. All the kids knew and respected him. About the time several East Precinct officers including Dave Orange and Dwayne Coverson, encouraged Manny to become a police officer. They thought he would be a natural. He joined the department on December 10, 1976, and he was a natural. All the young people referred to him as Mr. Washington while he worked the East Precinct.

In the early 1980’s Manny teamed up with Al Williams #4071, working plainclothes. Due to the great work they accomplished, Manny was assigned to the guard detail to protect the lone survivor of the Wah Mee Massacre. After the trial, he was recruited to the original gang unit to work for Dave Orange. Two years later, Manny moved to Narcotics. There he took a new Detective, Mike Ciesynski #4749 under his wing. This was a fast moving proactive team against rock houses and the more addictive deviates of cocaine. Next he was transferred to a multi agency task force. Around this time John Foley #1247 left the department, so the off-duty job of working the Sonics bench became open. Manny got it and worked for years. He helped many charity organizations get autographs of Sonic memorabilia for their auctions.

Manny’s last assignment was working for his old friend and fishing buddy, Dave Orange in the Fugitive Unit. There, Manny and Dave Murray #3811 begin to work together for six years. After 30 years of service, Manny retired on January 19, 2007

Manny and Audrienna moved to Ocean Shores so he could salt water and freshwater (duck lake) fish. He is survived by his wife for 56 years Adrina, three sons, Nelson, Aaron, and Rodney and numerous grandchildren.

At the family's request, due to Covid there will be a private family funeral service. Eventually, there will be a Celebration of Life that all can attend at a later date.

Ernie Bisset #1286, retired Seattle police lieutenant, passed away on March 26, 2021.  Ernie was 89 years old. 

Marcus L. Taylor #3655, retired Seattle police officer, passed away on March 19th 2021 at the age of 82.  Prior to being hired by SPD,

Marcus was born and raised in Oregon around small logging towns. In high school, he participated in sports. In his senior year, he joined the Air National Guard in 1956. He stayed in the guard for 10 years. He then got a job at an outdoor garment factory as a pattern cutter. Over the years, he worked his way up to supervisor overseeing crews at several garment factories. By this time, he was 31 years old and bored working for the garment company. So, he applied to the Seattle Police Department.

Just before turning 33, he was hired by SPD in December 1971. Just three weeks after graduating from the Academy he responded to a burglary in progress at 19th and East Prospect. The fleeing suspects shot at him as they tried to elude arrest. This call was a harbinger for his next 12 years on patrol. 

Another time he was dispatched to a robbery in progress, shots fired call. Marcus was the first on the scene. He disarmed and arrested the suspect before his backup arrived. The suspect was on parole for armed robbery. He told Marcus “I could have killed you, you know, but I didn't.”  Maybe he didn't because Marcus had a bead on him 

The next incident he was sent to an unwanted customer at the Freight House Restaurant on Terry Ave. As he walked into the restaurant, a man was on the public phone. Suddenly, the guy spins around and points a cocked .45 pistol on to Marcus’s chest. The fight is on. During the struggle the suspect tries to fire his pistol, but Marcus had slipped his hand between the hammer and the slide, preventing the hammer from striking the firing pin. The suspect was finally subdued. Turns out he was a Hells Angel. He was prosecuted for several other charges. But by this time Marcus is starting to think “I'm a Sh*t magnet.” Sure enough, he's involved in another foot pursuit of an armed robber, this time during lunch hour downtown. Marcus cannot shoot due to all the citizens around. As a suspect turned to face and shoot Marcus, he tackles the suspect at 5th and Virginia knocking him to the ground. The suspect is arrested.

Now the department is worried about Marcus, so he is sent to Georgetown as a reporting writing car to give him a stress break. He is sent to a car accident, an easy call. Well, the driver was just released two weeks earlier from Walla Walla and was driving a stolen car. He grabbed Marcus in a chokehold and attempted to leave the scene. Marcus was unable to break the chokehold as he is being dragged down the street. A citizen saw the struggle and called in a ‘help the officer.”  It took several officers to knock the suspect down and save Marcus. It turned out the suspect was Walla Walla's Inmate Heavyweight Boxing Champion. This incident really bothered Marcus.

Over the next couple of years, he doubted his ability to continue to work and survive. Also, his health began to deteriorate. On December 28th, 1983, after 12 years of service, he was granted a line of duty retirement.

He is survived by his adult children three daughters Lora, Debbie, and Teresa and two sons Marcus Jr. and John.

Robert “Bob” Condit #2851 passed away on March 2, 2021 at the age of 79. There will not be a memorial service.
 
Bob was born in Honolulu, Hawaii (territory of the United States) because it would not become a state until 1959. His date of birth was two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
 
He joined the department for the first time on February 13, 1968. It must have been a Friday the 13th because when he went home after day one of orientation, he found out he was drafted. So the next day he resigned and got his affairs in order to be a 26-year-old inductee. Bob thought or hoped, selective Service had missed him, but no, it was just slow getting around to him.
 
After two years in the Army, he returned to the department. He passed the background and was assigned to the six-month Academy at the police range. His academy mates were mostly former SPD cadets. The cadet program was just abrogated after more than 10 very successful years which produced great officers, sergeants, and lieutenants.
 
Bob worked patrol his entire career mainly in the north precinct. One incident that truly troubled him over the years occurred in the mid-1970s. He on-viewed a traffic violation committed by the serial killer Ted Bundy. At this time, society was unaware of Bundy’s murderous behavior. So after pulling him over Bob wrote him a ticket. Bob always wondered if he had known who Bundy was or would turn out to be and had legal grounds to search the car then maybe the murders could have been interrupted early.
 
In the 1990’s Bob drove the wagon and the new mobile precinct. Then he became the second watch clerk during his closing years on the job. He ran a tight front desk operation. Some precinct captains thought he may have even run the entire watch.
 
Bob retired after 34 years for service, on July 21, 2005. During his career he was known for his great sense of humor and congeniality. He never allowed frustrating and negative incidents to ruin his workday or his home life.
 
For the first 10 years of retirement Bob and Diane lived in Bellingham. In late 2015, they moved back to Seattle to be close to their five adult children, two daughters Megan and Jennifer and three sons Brian, Bradley and Michael.

Jack Stanton # 1565, retired Seattle Police Patrolman passed away on March 1, 2021 at the age of 90. There will not be any service.
 
Jack joined the department in May 1954 at the age of 24. At that time, one had to be 23 years old to apply to the PD. His starting pay was $1.86 per hour. He always worked the night shift in order to moonlight and later, to start his own business.
 
In 1960, he married Dorie. They were together for 44 years. They had two sons, Jack Junior and John.
 
Jack got tired of working off duty at various security jobs and started his own business spraying an asphalt emulsion on concrete foundations to waterproof them. The company was called Stanton Spray. Jack and Dorie ran it for 33 years. The business was very successful which caused Jack to vest with 22 years of police service so he and Dori could go full-time in the Spring in business. In the mid-1990’s, they retired to become snowbirds. They lived six months in Yuma, Arizona, and six months in Woodinville. They did this until Dorie passed away in 2004. A few years later Jack moved from Woodinville to Lacey, Washington. Jack continued to snowbird to Yuma. Jack remarried and he and his wife Sherry, eventually decided in 2016 to live full-time in Yuma.
 
Jack will be missed; he was known as a jokester and comedian. He resolved calls by making everyone laugh. He laughingly said he could not afford time away from his spraying business due to avoidable injuries. Maybe today’s politicians and administrators could have learned about de-escalation from Jack. .

Jack N. Moore #1353 retired Seattle police detective sergeant passed away on February 23rd at the age of 95.  In early 1943 at the age of 17 Jack enlisted in the Marine Corps.  His M.O.S. was machine gunner.  Like most Marines he shipped out to the South Pacific.  His company was assigned to base security on Midway Island.  He was later assigned to Okinawa to prepare for the invasion of Japan.  Lucky for him WWII ended two months later.  He definitely had a squad of Guardian Angels looking out for him.  Jack returned home in late 1946.  He joined SPD in March 1952.  Jack worked patrol for 11 years then in February 1963 he was assigned to the Detective Bureau.  After the IACP Study recommended more front-line supervisors Jack took the sergeant's exam.  He was promoted in May 1968 and returned to patrol for two years.  Jack returned to investigations in 1970 and remained there until his retirement on March 30, 1977, exactly 25 years of service.  Jack enjoyed retirement for almost 44 years.  He is survived by June, his wife of 69 years, along with his son Scott and daughter Kathleen.

Assistant Chief of Police Charles "Ray" Connery #1344 passed away on February 20th at the age of 92.  Ray was hired on the department as a patrolman on March 31, 1952.  He worked in patrol for ten years before being promoted to sergeant just before the World's Fair in 1962.  Four years later Ray was promoted to lieutenant.  The years 1968-1973 were tumultuous times for the department.  The department needed more commanders and administrators.  Ray was made captain in 1968.  A year and a half later he was promoted to assistant chief.  Then after a year he was reduced back to captain.  In October 1973 Chief of Police George Tielsch promoted Ray to major.  He kept his oak leaves for six years.  Then Chief of Police Pat Fitzsimons made Ray an acting assistant chief of police and finally a permanent assistant chief. 

Steve Martin #4629, retired Seattle police sergeant, passed away on February 19th at the age of 60.  Before being hired on the department in January 1982 Steve had a chance to play major league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals.  But during tryouts he suffered a shoulder injury.  Steve and Joe Kessler were the only two student officers that worked every sector in the city during their OJT period.  Steve then worked West Patrol for three years during which time he participated in numerous buy/busts in the downtown open air drug markets.  This prepared him to be recruited into the department's first formal anti-crime team.  In December 1993 Steve was promoted to sergeant.  He served in Communications for three years.  After that he went to Juvenile, IIS, Pawnshop/Property Recovery and Crime Analysis.  Finally in 2008 Steve was able to return to the North Precinct until his retirement in June 2012.  No matter where he was assigned, Steve was highly regarded as a patrolman, student officer trainer, and a sergeant.  Unfortunately, the day before his 61st birthday while talking to a neighbor he collapsed and suddenly passed away.  Steve is survived by his wife Mahala, four children and several grandchildren. 

Richard "Rich" Heideman #6651, retired Seattle police patrolman, passed away early this morning, February 10th at the age of 72.  Rich was hired on March 20, 2000 and retired on August 27, 2009.  He spent his career working in patrol.  Rich's wife of 48 years Chris advises there may be a service in the distant future but as of now nothing is planned.

Larry Cotton #4425, retired Seattle police patrolman passed away on January 30, 2021 in Everett, WA.  Larry was hired in 1980 and retired after 25 years of service in 2005.  He spent his career working in the West and North Precincts and for a time was a member of the SWAT/ERT team.  Larry enjoyed playing in the Bacon Bowl and on the SPD soccer team.  Upon retirement Larry and his wife Candace moved to St. George, UT where they lived until returning to Washington state in 2012.  Candace says that Larry was very well known for never swearing and laughs when thinking not many officers can make that claim.  Larry and Candace were married for 43 years.  A private family service will be held in the distant future.

Terry Wilson #2670 retired Seattle police patrol officer (Chief Dispatcher) passed away on January 20th.  He was 77 years old.  Terry was hired on February 7, 1967 and retired after 26 years of service on January 19, 1994.  Terry's co-workers in Communications, both radio and 9-1-1 operators, describe him as being a highly competent radio dispatcher and a true gentleman.  He is remembered as being a mentor to the new employees.  Terry's wife Bev informs the pension office no services are planned at this time.

Joy Mundy #4433, Retired Seattle Police Sergeant passed away on January 18, 2021 at 72 years of age. Joy fought a very courageous 20 year with cancer. Joy was hired on May 13, 1980 and retired on September 30, 2005.

Sgt Mundy came to Seattle PD via the way of Watkins Glen, New York.  When Joy started in 1080, women patrol officers wore the same cut of trousers as the men. Joy petitioned the Uniform Committee to approve a class A trouser better fitted for females.  Joy was immediately appointed as the Guild Rep to the committee and the change was implemented.

Also of note, Joy was the prime mover to have a SPD Yearbook, which the Department had for three years or so. Joy often said that the number 13 was her lucky number. Her birthday was March 13, she started the SPD Academy on May 13 and she married her husband, Karl Schneider on May 13, 1994. They spent many years traveling in their RV and their beloved cat Dusty was right along side of them.

Albert “Al” Williams #4071, Retired Seattle Police Homicide Detective passed away on January 17, 2021 at the age of 74.  Al was hired on December 10, 1976 and retired on January 18, 1995. Al was a very quiet man. Not many knew he wrote a couple of books about the Civil War. His homicide partner for several years was John Nordund.

Ray Loso #3489, Retired Seattle Police Officer passed away on January 17, 2021 at 78 years of age.  Ray was hired on September 25, 1970 and retired on a Line of Duty Disability on March 3, 1979. Ray was detailed to to patrol Golden Garden which he did with relish. He and his partner clean up the late night beach parties.